


12 x 12

by katnissdoesnotfollowback (lost_on_cloud_9)



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Holiday Fic Exchange, mistletoe kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-09-18 13:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16995576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_on_cloud_9/pseuds/katnissdoesnotfollowback
Summary: After kissing a stranger at a holiday party, Katniss decides her life is in need of some drastic New Years resolutions.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bookgirl318](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookgirl318/gifts).



_Katniss weaves through the crowds, ignoring the boisterous laughter and clumsy jostling of late night partygoers, intent on her goal. Faint traces of memory and puffy violet clouds scented faintly of cinnamon. Of dill. Soft caresses on her cheek and whispers on her lips. The ticking of a clock counts down until she’s run out time, pulse pounding as midnight approaches and still she can’t find him._

* * *

 

**December 20th - 12 Days to the New Year**

_Wah! Wah! Wah! Wah!_

Katniss peels her eyes open and growls at the offensive red numbers informing her that she has slept through six minutes of her alarm clock ringing. Prim still makes fun of her for having the archaic thing.

“Everyone just uses their phone these days, Katniss,” she mimics her sister and smacks the button on top to silence the cursed clock before dragging herself upright and staring at her shut blinds. It’ll still be dark outside. Eventually, she leans over and flicks on her lamp.

“Now you have to get up, Katniss,” she grumbles to herself and slides her feet into her slippers. She should have taken today off. Whoever thought it was a good idea for the mayor to host the annual Christmas bash on a Wednesday night should be tarred and feathered. Katniss snorts at the image of Johanna in such a getup. She’d probably find a way to make it illicit or to use it as a form of outright protest. Ironic given that she’s the mayor’s wife, but that’s just Johanna, Katniss thinks as she trudges to her bathroom and begins her morning routine.

There are other things she’s trying to forget about last night. The aches in her bones a reminder that she’s no longer in her twenties. Hangovers come with stiff prices these days. And so do bad decisions. Like making out beneath the mistletoe with complete strangers just because you’re lonely.

Her slippered feet scuff on the faux hardwood floor in her bathroom as she halts in front of the mirror.

“Ugh,” she says and turns away from the streaked mascara and puffy cheeks, the hazy bloodshot eyes and the zit forming along her chin line. Whoever said those went away in adulthood is a liar and should be barbecued for the next New Years roast.

She snorts again and starts the water, turning it to the hottest setting possible. Might as well steam and burn out these toxins. It’s another work day.


	2. Chapter 2

_ It only takes a few minutes for her to feel awkward and out of place. Ready to return to her couch and her dog, who is always happy to see her. She’s caught up with Johanna, although that didn’t take long. They just spoke that morning on the phone, Johanna wanting to make sure Katniss wouldn’t bail on the mayor’s annual holiday party. _

_ “The entire city is invited. You can’t skip!” Johanna had insisted. _

_ It certainly feels like the entire city is here, Katniss thinks as she wrinkles her nose and presses herself to the wall to allow a handsy couple to pass by. _

_ “Ugh,” she groans. So tacky. _

_ She waves to Finnick and Annie who are deep in conversation with Gale and Leevy. Katniss has no interest in another rousing discussion of common core and the status of the public education system in Panem County schools or how smart little Nick is and charter versus public versus private and whose kid got which popular disease this year or which pregnancy symptoms Leevy’s dealing with or how it compares to her previous pregnancies. Nope. Katniss is definitely not up for any of that, so she avoids her married with children friends and ducks into her favorite room in the mayor’s house. _

_ The kitchen. _

_ “This is more like it,” she says as she eyes the spread on the countertops. The mayor’s kitchen holds more counter space than her lab at work, and the contents are infinitely more appetizing. Plus the crowd is much thinner in here right now, most people being occupied socially or with liquid pursuits. But Katniss doesn’t feel like drinking tonight. She feels like eating. _

_ Grabbing a plate, she slides along one side of the counters, selecting morsels to try and decide what she wants to come back for later. She spots a tier of delicious looking rolls and sifts through until she finds one that’s not covered in seeds because she’s not in the mood to try digging them out of her teeth later. She selects a few and moves along. _

_ The familiar bright green stoneware that belongs to Gale and Leevy catches her eye. There’s only one venison and stuffing ball left on the massive platter. Her mouth waters and she swoops in to nab it. As she does, her hand collides with someone else’s. _

_ “Oh I’m sorry!” Katniss glances up at the man standing on the other side of the countertop, his plate piled high with food. His bright blue eyes apologetic. She doesn’t recognize him. “Please, go ahead. I insist.” _

_ “Don’t mind if I do,” Katniss says and scoops the tasty treat onto her plate. Leevy only makes these around the holidays and Katniss has been looking forward to eating them. Besides, this man’s plate is already overflowing. _

* * *

 

**December 21st - 11 Days to the New Year**

“The word of the day… titration.”

Katniss ignores Eddy, her intern and continues her work. He’s a bit too chatty for her tastes but his work is impeccable.

“Where’d you get this calendar anyways? It’s almost a new year and I’d love to have one of these. Better than the stupid football calendars my aunt Hilda always buys me for Christmas.”

“Nerdy calendars dot com,” Katniss says.

“Really?”

“No.”

“You just made a joke!”

“I did no such thing.”

There’s a long silence as they wait for the mass spec to warm up.

“So any big New Year's resolutions, Miss E?” Katniss hides her sigh. It seems he won’t be granting her Christmas wish of a quiet workplace.

“To survive this first major holiday we’ve got coming up before I make any resolutions.” Eddy laughs at this.

And not kiss any more strangers. 

Johanna is right. Katniss is incompetent at romance. Not that she's made a huge effort to date. Life in general, her family, and her work have been more than enough to sustain her for years. Why complicate things with a man who could leave you?

Or maybe it’s Gale who’s right about her love life. Her standards in a partner too exacting and impossible to meet.

“Can you believe it’s only twelve days until 2019?”

“Eleven,” Katniss corrects. Not because she’s looking forward to it, but she can’t abide inaccuracies.

“Guess it depends on how you count ‘em. Any big plans for the weekend?” Eddy asks.

“Thought I might go spelunking and then jet off to Havana for a cigar tasting and maybe then I’ll write a best selling novel,” she says and Eddy bobs his head.

“Cool.”

A soft beep draws them back into work.

It’s already dark by the time she boards the train that will take her back to Twelve. Normally she would spend the time reading, but tonight she can’t muster the energy to think. Instead she watches the blur of the lights as they leave the city proper and speed through the towns jammed up tight together, one indistinguishable from the next except for the stops the train makes.

They reach the Market Street station in Twelve and Katniss walks the four blocks to her row house. Narrow and brick and dark. She unlocks the front door, bends over to plug in her strand of Christmas lights and then locks herself inside.

First order of business, take care of Lady. Second order of business, pajamas and food. Third order of business, Netflix. Only her internet is acting strange. A glance at her phone shows that it’s not connected. Some fiddling with wires and settings yields nothing. Picking up her phone, she calls the internet company and settles on the couch to wait on hold, eyes drooping as she snuggles under the blanket and pets Lady on the head.


	3. Chapter 3

_“Wow. You didn’t even hesitate.”_

_“You said I should take it. Were you lying?”_

_“No,” he says. “I just meant most people would pretend to not want it and later on regret it.”_

_“Not my fault if you have regrets in life.” He laughs lightly at this and shakes his head. “My friend Leevy makes these. They’re really good but they’re also kind of involved and she’s got four kids. So she doesn’t make them very often.”_

_Her cheeks warm as she spills out an explanation that she doesn’t need to give him. Who cares why she wants the last venison and stuffing ball. It shouldn’t matter._

_“Well now I’m torn. Glad the last one went to someone who clearly appreciates them but also slightly jealous.”_

_Katniss eyes his heaping plate and is struck with a strange idea. “Got anything worth trading in that feast?”_

_“Uh…” he glances at his plate and blushes. “I skipped dinner. Work sort of took over my day.”_

_“Mine too. I didn’t skip dinner though.”_

_He smiles at her and then something seems to occur to him. “Here. I grabbed the last two of these cheese rolls. I’ll trade you one for half of that venison thing.”_

_“Don’t ask me to talk about my job and you’ve got a deal,” Katniss says, already using her fork to divide the food._

_“Done,” he says and sets the cheese roll on the edge of her plate._

* * *

 

**December 22nd - 10 Days to the New Year**

“The service here is crap,” Johanna says as she drops into the chair.

“Then why do you keep eating here?” Sae asks as she pulls a pencil from behind her ear.

“Not to see your ugly face.”

“Where’d you get those shoes? Army Rejects?”

“Had to burn a bra to get them too.” Katniss rolls her eyes at the exchange. “Can we count on you for the protest on Monday, Sae?”

“What is it this week?”

“Decrease in funding for the library.”

“Huh.”

“Katniss will be there,” Johanna tells her.

“Says who?” Katniss finally joins the conversation.

“What else ya gonna do?” Johanna asks with a quirk of an eyebrow.

“Maybe I have a hot date.” Johanna snorts at this.

“I am a hot date. And maybe we’ll burn something at our protest.”

“Not another protest. Come on, Jo. It’s almost Christmas.” Darius turns in his seat to face them, draping his arm across the wall between the booth where he sits and theirs.

“Hey, you’ve got enough warning now to get my usual cell ready.”

“Shouldn’t the mayor’s wife act with more dignity?” Darius asks. The three women consider this for a moment and then shake their heads.

“Nah,” comes their joined answer.

“I’ll be there,” Katniss promises her friend, and then they’re able to focus on ordering their food.

“You never told me what you thought of the party the other night,” Johanna says and smacks Katniss’ arm when their sandwiches arrive.

“Why’s my opinion matter.”

“I gotta act classy sometimes,” Johanna says and it’s Katniss’ turn to snort.

“It was good. The food was great.”

“My idea to have the city’s food businesses bring samples of their wares instead of catering.”

“Well it was a good idea,” Katniss says and focuses on her sandwich and nodding as Johanna talks. Bullet dodged. She already knows what Johanna would say about Katniss’ night at the party and it’s not anything she wants to hear.


	4. Chapter 4

_ “You werf ‘ight.” She laughs at his butchered speech around a mouthful of food. He swallows and transfers a marshmallow and chocolate puff from his plate to hers. “I can’t believe you actually shared this with me instead of cutting off a limb to keep me away or something. Who’s your friend again? We’ll babysit her four kids so she can make these things more often.” _

_ “She’s pregnant.” _

_ “Five kids then. We can handle it.” _

_ “I’m not that good with kids. Don’t have any of my own,” Katniss says and then looks down at the floor, her cheeks on fire and embarrassment filling her. Why would she admit that to a complete stranger? _

_ “Siblings? Dog? Cat? House plants?” _

_ “Sister. Dog,” she says and he smiles at this. _

_ “So you can keep another living being alive.” _

_ “I seriously doubt Leevy would appreciate me feeding her kids from a bowl on the floor or walking them down the block to pee.” _

_ He laughs and shakes his head in mirth. “The fact that you know at least that much is a great recommendation for a babysitter,” he says and then when they’ve both calmed a little, “and you won’t be alone for the holidays?” _

_ That feels like some kind of pick up line or test of the potential one night stand waters and she shifts nervously on her feet. He’s handsome. Actually the most attractive man she’s had a conversation with in a long time. So far he’s been nothing but nice and polite, but of course he would be, if he’s trying to get in her pants. _

_ “Would that upset you? Me being alone for the holidays?” _

_ “No one should be alone for the holidays.” _

_ “Maybe I don’t celebrate them.” _

_ “Jeez I’m just all kinds of suave tonight aren’t I? I'll just need a second to extract my foot from my mouth,” he says with a cringe and an apology. They stand there awkwardly eating for a minute and she wonders why he doesn’t leave. Now that he knows she’s not available to warm his bed on Christmas Day. _

_ “I’m spending it with my mother,” Katniss finally blurts. He pauses mid chew and waits for more from her. “It’ll probably be awful. Reminders about my ticking biological clock and how my younger sister is in a steady committed relationship with a supposedly fine young man.” _

_ “A supposedly fine young man?” he asks with a raised eyebrow and Katniss rolls her eyes.  _

_ “I haven’t met him yet.” _

_ “So where is this committed younger sister?” _

_ “Sudan. She’s part of Doctors Without Borders.” _

_ “Wow,” he says and looks impressed, as most people do when she talks about Prim. So she keeps going and he listens. Or at least appears to be listening until she starts to feel uncomfortable talking about herself so much. “What about you?” _

_ He seems surprised by the sudden switch and scratches at the back of his neck. _

_ “What about me?” _

_ “Siblings? Dog? Cat? House plants?” He smiles and her eyes flick down to the hand holding the plate. No wedding ring. Why’d she look? She just met the man! _ _   
_ _   
_ _ ”Two older brothers,” he tells her. “And a cat.” _ _   
_ _   
_ __ ”So you’re also equipped to keep something alive for more than a few hours.” His laugh is warm and inviting and she wants to hear more of it.

 

* * *

 

  
  **December 23rd - 9 Days to the New Year**

“Auntie Katniss is here!”

“What did you bring us!”

“Are you gonna go carol with us?”

She’s met at the door, an ambush of youthful excitement. Even the ever serious Hunter has a wide smile on his face as Katniss distributes presents. Loot in hand, they race to the kitchen to show their parents before running off to enjoy the gifts.

“Something smells amazing,” Katniss says as she enters the room. Gale gives her a quick hug and Leevy smiles at her.

“I made stew with what was left of the deer you and Gale got last week. It should make a nice meal when we get back,” Leevy says and Katniss takes a quick sniff of the pot.

“Oh wow. That’ll go fast.”

“You’ll stay for dinner won’t you?” Leevy asks.

“Catnip doesn’t care much for noisy family dinners,” Gales says and Katniss feels her spine wilting. She was actually looking forward to it rather than spending another night eating dinner alone with Lady and tonight’s Christmas special for company. “Not sure you should have any of this either since I’m sure you ate half the venison and stuffing balls at the party the other night.”

“Actually, I only got to eat half of one,” she says testily. Gale scoffs but Leevy zeroes in on her words.

“Half? Did you split it with someone?”

Shoot.

Before Katniss can think of a suitable lie, the four Hawthorne kids save her, barreling into the room with half donned coats and boots, half a dozen questions and demands for help spilling off their lips.

The group hurries outside to meet the rest of their small choir and then they set off to carol around the neighborhood.

While the songs soar from her mouth, bright and joyful, her mind wanders to other places. Like how much joy she felt sharing that one small morsel the other night. How close she felt to him as they whispered in the kitchen and sampled the feast together. It’s been a long time since she felt that close, that happy, that attracted to anyone.

That must be the reason she holds her breath each time Asher rings the doorbell at a new house, until the door swings open and the face she’s searching for isn’t there and she can release her conflicting relief and disappointment into the songs.


	5. Chapter 5

_They remain in the kitchen, leaning against the wall, out of the way of the flow of traffic in and out of the room. The eat and chat about banal things. Favorite colors, their families, reviews of the food they’ve sampled tonight._

_“I can’t eat another bite,” Katniss says and holds up a hand to stop him from placing another iced lemon creme cookie on her plate. They’re delicious and she checks the business card left underneath the tower of cookies. Mellark’s Bakery. She’s never heard of it, but Johanna said all the food came from local places, so it has to be within the boundaries of Twelve. Must be a new place._

_She notes the name and returns her attention to him as he sets his plate on the stack to be washed, brushes crumbs off his fingers on his pants._

_“There’s supposed to be live music. Wanna go listen for a bit?” he says and Katniss can hear the sounds of a few guitars tuning and sound checking. If Johanna planned this too, it’s bound to be loud and abrasive. Not good for conversing, but Katniss also doesn’t want to spend the rest of the night alone. His blue eyes dim a little as she ponders her options, brighten when she finally nods._

_“Okay. Music sounds good.”_

_The drummer taps out a beat on the hi-hat and then the guitars kick in as they weave their way through the crowds towards the main room. Just as Katniss stands on her toes, the lead singer belts out the first few lines of_ Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. _Katniss blinks at the slinky silver dress the woman wears, her sultry voice and bombshell body reminiscent of Jessica Rabbit._

_She barely hears the curse word beside her and turns expecting her companion to be drooling over the woman. Instead, he looks acutely uncomfortable._

_“What’s wrong?” Katniss asks and he has to lean close to speak in her ear over the ruckus of the band. His lips tickle her skin and she shivers._

_“That’s my brother’s ex wife singing,” he says and she jerks back in surprise. “It wasn’t exactly amicable and she can be a little dramatic. Actually both of them are dramatic.”_

_“Wanna go outside?” Katniss asks, relieved and overly warm in the crowd._

_“Yes!” he agrees, his hand brushing her back for just a second as he follows her towards the back doors and the verandah that overlooks the gardens._

* * *

 

**December 24th - 8 Days to the New Year**

“Mason. Everdeen. You’re free to go,” Thom says as he unlocks the cell. Johanna stands up regally and sweeps past him, Katniss following close behind. They pause at the locked door to wait for Thom to escort them out of the holding area.

Darius meets them on the other side and sighs as he drops Katniss’ messenger bag and Johanna’s protest sign on the counter. “Your effects, ladies.”

“That was a shockingly short time,” Johanna says. “You getting soft on rioters, Red?”

“It’s Christmas Eve,” Darius drawls. “I’d like to spend it with loved ones.” Johanna looks pointedly at Thom, who coughs and Darius clarifies. “At home. And also I don’t want the mayor upset because I detained the city’s First Lady.”

“Again,” Katniss snorts.

“Again. Also you made me arrest the library’s favorite storyteller,” Darius says, motioning to Katniss. “You know how kids are with Katniss. Last time I had to arrest her, the next field trip to the station was a nightmare. They wanted to know how I could live with myself imprisoning Miss Katniss!”

“Those science days at the elementary school are really paying off,” Johanna says and Katniss preens.

“Got the toddler and the early childhood and the grammar school vote all wrapped up for you. Merry Christmas.”

Darius laughs and Johanna snatches up her protest sign. “Let’s go, Katniss. I can see we’re not wanted here.”

Katniss rolls her eyes at her friend’s antics and Darius shouts holiday wishes at them as they head out to the vestibule where Max, the mayor’s executive assistant paces and furiously taps on his phone.

“Miss Mason—“

“Can it, Diamond Britches. Did it get the votes you needed or not?”

“It did but that’s beside—“

“No it _is_ the point! The library gets its funding instead of wasting it on new tablets for the council when they just got new ones last year, and if the mayor isn’t complaining then neither should you,” Johanna snarls. “Now, be a good boy and drive us to Sae’s. I’m starved and need comfort food after our time in the slammer.”

Max doesn’t argue this time, instead holding the doors open and taking Johanna’s sign for her when she climbs into the car.

“You need a hobby. Other than badgering Max,” Katniss says.

“Well you’ve forbidden me from matchmaking—“

“The last guy you set me up with was a tattoo artist and biker from Tulsa.”

“—Not my fault you hate needles. I’m getting you over that one of these days.”

“And the one before that?”

“To be fair, I had no idea he was a closet bigot. Politics are a tricky game these days.”

“And you just handcuffed yourself to the library because….?”

“It got the point across.”

“It was a bit much,” Katniss says with a smirk and Johanna shrugs.

“So was your whole ‘You arrest her, you arrest all of us!’”

“Someone has to keep an eye on you. You’re dangerous when you’re bored.”

“Speaking of bored—“

“No—“

“But he’s—“

“Not interested.”

“Really nice!”

“Well that’s a new one,” Katniss drawls as the car stops at Sae’s.

“I know, I thought maybe I’d have better luck if I found you someone as boring as you.”

Blue eyes flash in her memory and Katniss shakes her head. There’s no way Johanna could be talking about him. He wasn’t boring at all. She feels a strange thrill of excitement just thinking about him, surprised that hasn’t worn off in the past few days.

Maybe it was all that kissing...

“Not interested,” Katniss repeats.

“Fine,” Johanna huffs and then she’s distracted by the food and talk of what else she can protest, finally at least agreeing that she’s bored with the local issues.

“I miss the big marches on the Capitol,” she reminisces and Katniss nods. That’s where Johanna and her wife met.

“Convince her to run for Senator or something and I’ll bet you can go back to protesting on the national mall.”

“That sounds amazing. But first we gotta fix this town’s mess. So next week…”

Katniss listens for a moment and then they hammer out details for the next big item on their list of issues to tackle.


	6. Chapter 6

_ There’s a couple making out on the verandah, his hand so far up her dress Katniss can’t be sure he’s even got an elbow. Their motions are clumsy and disjointed. They’re probably drunk. Katniss scoffs in disgust at the tacky display. _

_ “My night is complete now that I know what color panties Glimmer Rodgers is wearing,” she mutters and her companion snorts. “Is your night complete?” _

_ “I mean...is she matching?” Annoyance rises up inside her as she swings her gaze to him. He lifts his eyebrow, his eyes focused solely on Katniss, his back now turned to the door so he can’t see what’s happening on the verandah. And the annoyance fades as she realizes he’s teasing her. _

_ She glances back outside and spots a matching red strap now visible as Glimmer’s partner yanks down on fabric to bare a breast. _

_ “She has got to be cold,” Katniss mutters and enjoys the laughter beside her. She doesn’t much want to know his opinion on women who wear matching panty and bra sets. Katniss herself isn’t even close to matching. She scrambles her brain trying to remember what exactly she’s wearing. She’s pretty sure neither the color nor the fabric matches and the manufacturer is questionable as well. She  _ is,  _ however _ ,  _ wearing both panties and a bra and counts that as a win in her book. “I don’t think we’re gonna find out. Come on, I know somewhere else we can go.” _

_ “Lead the way. Please,” he says with a wave of his hand. She clasps it in hers without even thinking and drags him through the crowd towards the conservatory. It’s her second favorite room inside the mansion, since the outside gardens appear to be occupied and they’ve exhausted the charms of the kitchen. _

 

* * *

 

**December 25th - 7 Days to the New Year**

“Good morning, my dove. Merry Christmas. Did you see what Santa brought you?” Lilly Everdeen says quietly and bends over to kiss the crown of Katniss’ head.

“Aren’t I a little old for that now, Mom?” Katniss asks with a wrinkle of her nose. “I’m almost forty.”

“And oh so wise,” Lilly says with a smile, but Katniss accepts the mug of tea from her mother and blows carefully on the steam as her mother sits beside her and they stare at the soft glow of the tree. There’s three presents beneath it and Katniss sighs at the bright red and green diamond patterned paper on the third gift, the one that wasn’t there last night when they went to bed.

“I can’t believe you still have that paper,” Katniss murmurs and takes a sip of the tea. Lilly hums over the brim of her own mug.

“Couldn’t quite bring myself to get rid of it after…” After Dad died. Katniss doesn’t need the rest of the sentence to know what her mother was going to say. “It was...hard. I know you girls had it worse with--”

“Mom,” Katniss says and reaches out for her mother’s hand. Lilly accepts the touch and Katniss nearly cries. Just last year she might not have reached out to her mother in this moment. Then again, they might not have had it at all with Prim here. They both always worked so hard to make things good, make them better for Prim after Sage Everdeen died.

“It’s not a competition,” Katniss says and tucks it away to tell Dr. Aurelius. He’ll be so proud of her. She’s actually proud of herself. “Losing Dad was rough on all of us.”

Neither of them mention Lilly’s struggle with depression, because as angry as it made her at the time, Katniss knows that dragging it out now will only cause more harm. They can move past it now. She’s ready to heal things with her mother and move past it. That’s half of why she agreed to spend Christmas with her mother, the other half of it being that Prim was in another country.

They sip their tea and listen to the silence.

“It’s so quiet,” Lilly finally says and Katniss scrolls through her phone and starts up a Christmas music playlist.

“I got us covered,” she says and Lilly smiles knowingly. Katniss shrugs. “I have a festive playlist for Prim.”

Lilly lets the lie pass and stands to retrieve the presents from under the tree. She hands two of them to Katniss, one dressed in holly paper and the other in the diamond pattern that was the wrapping paper her parents used to use on all their presents from Santa when they were little.

Katniss opens the holley present first and holds the knit scarf to her face. “It’s so soft.”

“Thank you.”

“Is it helping?” Katniss asks and Lilly nods as she carefully plucks at the corners of paper wrapping the book Katniss got her.

“Yes. It helps. I can...still think while I’m knitting but it’s repetitive and at the end, I feel like I’ve accomplished something.”

“That’s good,” Katniss says. Lilly smiles when she unwraps the book and hugs Katniss to thank her. The moment is over too soon, and before Katniss can unwrap the other present, the doorbell rings.

“Who could that be?” Lilly wonders. “I hope Sae’s alright. She’s been ill the past few weeks but her grandson just moved to town and has been looking after her. Thought she was spending the day with him.”

She pulls back the curtain covering the tall window alongside the front door and gasps. Then she flings the door open and a girly squeal nearly knocks Katniss off the couch.

“Surprise!” Prim shouts and throws her arms around Lilly.

“Prim!” Katniss leaps to her feet and throws herself into the embrace. The three women cling to one another and babble, covering each other with their words.

“We caught the only flight out of there yesterday and just managed to get on one out of Atlanta this morning!”

“Oh I’m so glad you’re here!”

"I wanted to surprise you! Are you surprised?"

“My girls! _What_ a Christmas surprise!”

“Wait…” Katniss says and pulls back to stare at her sister. “We?”

Prim bites her lip and nods frantically. Then she reaches back through the door and grabs the coat lapel of a young man Katniss hadn’t even seen standing there. He removes his snow dusted beanie, revealing soft brown hair. His brown eyes shine with happiness as he sets a hand on Prim’s back and his white teeth shine through his beard.

“This is Alan. My fiancé!”

“Fian-- oh honey!” Lilly coos and throws her arms around the young man before even bothering to ask him for his last name. Katniss just stands there as the whirlwind of wedding bells and exotic travel sweeps through the door and takes over the living room.

She’s happy for Prim. Of course she’s happy for Prim. Katniss sets aside the unwrapped present and joins her mother in the kitchen, firing up the oven and the coffee maker so they can adequately feed the new arrivals.


	7. Chapter 7

_“Ooh!” Katniss says, halting abruptly and smiling at a man carrying a silver tray. “Is that hot chocolate?”_

_“Would you like classic, dark chocolate, peppermint, cinnamon, or raspberry.”_

_“I’ll take peppermint,” Katniss says and eagerly accepts the small cup._

_“And you, sir?”_

_“Dark chocolate.” With their festive drink in hand, Katniss leads him into the conservatory. “Whoa. The hot chocolate was a good idea.”_

_“Yeah, it can get cold in here at night. Those windows are a massive heat sink.”_

_“But gorgeous view,” he says, gazing up at the star speckled winter sky. She sips her cocoa and observes him for a moment. When he turns to look at her, she clears her throat, feeling guilty like she’s just been caught staring._

_“Glad to know that our tax dollars go to good use.”_

_“Actually,” Katniss moves towards the hand painted sign and shows him. “This isn’t a luxury. It’s an afterschool program. Teaching botany and gardening.”_

_“Really?”_

_“It extends into the gardens outside, too. Funded mostly by the sales from their vegetable crops, cuttings of vines, cut flowers, tree nursery, you name it. The rest of the cost is covered by private donations. If you go to the farmer’s market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, you can usually buy some of their produce. I got some great pumpkins and a very tasty butternut squash for Halloween this year.”_

_“That is...really cool.”_

_“They usually keep some blankets in that wicker chest over there,” Katniss says, pointing. He lifts the lid and smiles, pulling out three of the soft flannel things and handing one to her. He spreads another on the floor, folded doubled up to provide some protection from the cool tile. They settle near the massive window, crossed legged with their own blankets wrapped around their shoulders._

_“So how come you know so much about this place? Or is that too close to asking about where you work?”_

_“No,” she says with a shake of her head. “I will tell you that I do not work in government. The Mayor was my college roommate. And the First Lady and I can usually be found leading marches, sit-ins, protests, so.” She shrugs because she doesn’t want to make it a big deal._

_“Ah. So you have a friend or two in City Hall.”_

_“Absolutely. Also I play poker with the chief of police on Thursday nights, so you really lucked out meeting me.”_

_“Seriously?” he asks and she nods, leans towards him to whisper conspiratorially._

_“Can you keep a secret?”_

_“Sure.”_

_“He’s a ruthless cheater...when it comes to cards.” He laughs again, the sound merry and bright in the cold winter evening._

_“So I take it Cray’s not the chief of police anymore.”_

_“No,” she says and tilts her head, considering his words. “No I don’t remember a Cray, but I only moved here after college. So maybe he was years ago?”_

_“Well it has been awhile since I’ve been in these parts.”_

_“Welcome back?” she says hesitantly and he smiles._

_“It’s okay. I’m thinking it’s a good thing. Returning here,” he says and her cheeks heat at the way he’s looking at her. She thinks maybe he’s going to kiss her._

_Does she want to kiss him?_

* * *

 

**December 26th - 6 Days to the New Year**

Katniss wakes to the most delicious smells. Fresh coffee and bread. A zest of cheese. It pulls her from sleep and she trudges down the hall to the bathroom and then out to the kitchen.

“Morning Mom,” she says, although it sounds more like a caribou call with the yawn that interrupts her speech.

“Oh good, you’re up. Sae’s grandson stopped by before he left this morning and dropped off this.” Lilly waves towards a massive basket of breads and rolls, making Katniss blink at the abundance.

“Wow.”

“I know,” Lilly says and hands over a mug of coffee. “He’s single. Same age as you. Very handsome.”

“Ugh Mom, it’s too early in the day for this,” Katniss groans as she paws through the basket.

“I just...want to see you happy. Like Primrose is with Alan.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Katniss says, peeved that she made it the entirety of Christmas day only to be ambushed now. She spots something familiar in the basket and snatches it up, ignoring Lilly’s sigh as she bites into it and moans around the mouthful. “Ohmyfgah.”

“Excuse me?”

“You have got to try one of these Mom. I had them at Madge and Johanna’s holiday party the other night and they are even better fresh and warm.”

“What are they?”

“Some kind of cheese roll.”

“Huh. Sae did say her grandson is a baker.” Katniss tunes her mother out as she espouses the eligible bachelor’s charms, focused instead on the fluffy, zesty goodness melting on her tongue.

But of course, eating this thing makes her think of him. Of laughter and a star speckled sky. The disappointment she felt at the end of the night and what she suspects that means. What she’s been afraid to admit to herself for the past few days. She swallows heavily and shakes her head.

“Did you hear anything I said, Katniss?” Lilly asks.

“Yes,” Katniss lies and stands. “And I’m going to do something about it right now.”

“You are?”

Katniss races upstairs and showers, grabs her things, throwing them into her bag haphazardly.

“Come on, lazy bones,” she coaxes Lady out from under her cocoon of blankets. Clumsily donning her coat and her new scarf her mother knitted for her, Katniss sends a text to Madge as she races down the stairs, Lady lumbering along behind her.

_*R U busy?_

**_*Horribly. Save me in 20 and I will love you forever._ **

Katniss smiles at the use of their signal they used to use to help each other out of awkward social situations all through college. When she reaches the kitchen, she hugs Prim and Alan, shouting her farewells and promises to see them for dinner later tonight.

As a last thought, she grabs another cheese roll from the basket and pops it in her mouth, holding it in her teeth as she heads outside and checks her work email. She wants a clear agenda today and deals with half of them before she even reaches her car.

She’s home before the twenty minutes are up and tosses her things inside, fills Lady’s bowl then calls Madge, imagining her friend waving the phone and cutting short whatever meeting she’s in right now by saying she _has_ to take this call.

“Speak to me about something that does not involve cow manure or the need to pass dry county laws.”

“I need you to help me find a man,” Katniss cuts right to the point.

“I beg your pardon? Isn’t that Jo’s hobby?”

“No I mean a specific man. Someone I met at the party the other night.”

“Oh! Well, what’s his name? Where does he work?”

“I don’t...know,” Katniss admits and cringes. There’s at least thirty seconds of silence before she hears Madge speak again.

“I am slightly confused.”

“We agreed not to talk about work and we sort of never exchanged names. I just… is there anyway you might know who all was invited? Maybe I can figure out who he was based on who I know he wasn’t.”

“I have no idea who all was invited. Johanna prints out flyers and walks through town handing them out.”

"Oh," Katniss taps her toe and considers her options. She was sure Madge would be able to help.

“How do you…? Nevermind. How important is this to you, Katniss?”

“I knew I’d be interrupting you at work.”

There’s another pause on the line while Katniss holds her breath.

“Max...what’s on the agenda for lunch?”


	8. Chapter 8

_“That moon is something else.”_

_Katniss blurts out the words and turns her face away from his. Destroys the moment. Closes her eyes against the sudden sinking in her belly._

_Disappointment._

_So yes then. She does want him to kiss her. Now she’s probably ruined that chance._

_“Do you want the moon?” he asks softly. “If you want it, I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down for you.” She can’t help the giggle that bubbles up from her throat as she turns back to look at him. “I’m sorry. Wow that was cheesy.”_

_“At least I know you’ve recently taken care of your obligatory Christmas movie viewing,” she teases._

_“The cat picked the movie the other night. It was either that or_ A Charlie Brown Christmas _and my cat is still mad at me for dressing him up as Snoopy to match my nieces’ Halloween costumes one year soooooo,” he says with a shrug and she laughs this time. He glances down at his empty cup, a wry smile on his face. “I made it weird, didn’t I? Sorry.”_

_The moment then stretches into silence._

_“There’s this lake about twenty minutes out of town and that moon--” he motions out the window with his cup “-- reminds me of it. Have some good memories associated with that lake but I haven’t had a chance to make it out there lately. So I guess I got nostalgic when you brought up the moon.”_

_She watches him for a moment, picturing her own lake. Not here, but in the town where she grew up. Fishing and boating with her father. Swimming with Prim. Soaking up the rays of the sun and the words on the page with sand between her toes. The moon reflected in silvered ripples at night while the bullfrogs croaked in the mud._

_“Sacred waters,” she murmurs._

_“Yeah. You want some more hot chocolate?” he asks abruptly. A shiver runs through her and she checks her own cup, already knowing that it’s empty._

_“Yes,” she says and he helps her stand. The warmth of his palm engulfing hers. The brief flash of a smile. They combine to send a pulse through her wrist, up to her chest. An unfamiliar lurch of feeling._

_Only they can’t find anyone serving hot chocolate._

_But there’s no one on the verandah now._

_“Come on,” Katniss says. “Let’s get our coats real quick.”_

_They’re still stuffing arms in sleeves as they hurry across the verandah and down into the garden, giddy as children, the trees caressing the ground with frosted, shadowed fingers that crunch beneath their shoes._

* * *

 

**December 27th - 5 Days to the New Year**

She’s running a little behind and finishes her report before saving it and methodically closing out the tabs on her browser. She’s working from home today and making great headway on her punch list.

Her last open tab is the city’s Facebook page, discussing events. Before she can close, it auto refreshes and brings up a conversation that catches her eye. Rue is planning on taking her kindergarten class on a field trip to that bakery, Mellark’s. The one that made all those delicious goodies for the party the other night.

Katniss smiles at Rue’s cheerful posts reminding families of the location since it will be the first Friday the kids are back in school. She knows from experience that Rue blasts out information on every possible medium for her parents. E-mail, Facebook, the kids’ take home folders. Then she’ll post pictures of the trip to Instagram as well. Rue is easily her favorite teacher to work with at the elementary school.

There’s a response from a P.B. Mellark underneath, his profile picture is a pair of flour dusted hands showing off a beautiful pretzel pastry cut and twisted to look like a Christmas tree. Chocolate oozes from the cuts and colored salts sparkle and ornament the top.

Her mouth waters. She really needs to check that bakery out and decides to skim for an address.

_P.B. Mellark: Looking forward to it, Miss Rue!_

She can't help but join in, since she always enjoys working with Miss Rue's kids.

_K. Everdeen: A bakery is a great place for a science lesson ;)_

To her surprise, Rue appears to be online right now and responds almost right away.

_Rue LaCroix: Care to join us and add a chemistry perspective, Miss Katniss? The kids are still talking about their trip to your labs._

Guilt surges up. Oh no, she hadn’t meant to steal the show.

_K. Everdeen: I’m sure Mr. Mellark can handle it._

_P.B. Mellark: I can try. Usually all the sugar distracts them from any real learning though._

_Rue LaCroix: Don’t tell my parents that!_

_K. Everdeen: Or gas. They are fascinated by gas, so yeast reactions should really capture their imaginations._

_P.B. Mellark: Got it, farting bread jokes. ;)_

_Rue LaCroix: Are you sure you two aren’t kindergartners?_

_P.B. Mellark: Just kids at heart._

Katniss laughs at their thread and shuts her laptop. As much as she would love to continue this conversation, she’s about to be late meeting Madge. They’re supposed to formulate a plan of attack for finding the Mystery Mistletoe Man since it turned out Madge had wall-to-wall meetings yesterday. Katniss will just have to google Mellark's Bakery later for an address.

She rushes down to city hall and waves at the security guards. Max points her in the direction of one of the meeting rooms and her feet screech to a halt as soon as she gets a glimpse inside.

“This meeting will now come to order!” _Bang! Bang! Bang!_ Finnick grins and tosses the gavel like a juggling pin before catching it. “Man, I’ve wanted to do that for awhile!”

Katniss spins on her heel and Madge grabs her shoulders to stop her from escaping. “Oh no you don’t.”

“What is Finnick doing here?” she hisses. “And Johanna? And Darius? And Gale? Madge this was just supposed to be between me and you.”

“I want to help, and if being mayor has taught me anything, it’s never leave a valuable resource untapped. Finnick knows everyone in town. Darius knows how to find them. Gale and Leevy know you.”

“And Johanna?”

“I needed to see it to believe it,” Johanna says and bumps her hip into Katniss’. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this the other day!”

“Can we focus, here? I’m not sure it’s a good idea to leave the kids alone with Thom and Annie for too long,” Gale pipes up.

“What you think they can’t handle it?” Darius asks.

“They’re too nice,” Leevy says. Darius and Finnick open their mouths to argue and then shrug, conceding the point.

“Alright, first and only order of business today,” Finnick says and then grins. “Getting Katniss laid.”

With a groan, Katniss makes another attempt at escape, but this time Darius joins in and drags her towards the front of the council chamber.

“Bring forth the witness!” Finnick yells and Leevy remarks that he’s having too much fun with this.

“Sit,” he says to Katniss. She scowls but sits.

“I don’t want to get laid,” she says through her teeth.

“If you will please only answer the questions put forth to you, witness.”

“Back off, man,” Gale says. Finnick blows him a kiss, but then he softens towards Katniss.

“So tell us about your mystery man, Kat.”

“There’s not much to tell.”

“Let’s start with what he looked like?”

“And why you have no name and no phone number,” Johanna complains.

“Average height, stocky build, ash blonde hair that did this wavy thing,” Katniss answers the easier question and tries to mimic his hair with her hands. She stops when she sees that a few of them are taking notes. They’re serious about this. “Blue eyes. Like...stunning blue,” she stammers.

Katniss twists her shirt in her hands as they fire more questions at her. Age. Occupation. Mother’s maiden name. Distinguishing birthmarks. Tattoos and piercings. Arrest record. All things she can’t answer, repeating the phrase “I don’t know” until she’s practically screeching it.

“Okay look,” Madge says, standing up and commanding attention. “We’re getting nowhere acting like she’s done something wrong. Katniss, why don’t you tell us why you want to find him.”

“I don’t know,” she says again, her throat closing up until Gale moves to her side and rests a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “I guess it’s the possibility, you know? I felt...good around him. I don’t know how to explain it or if it was just a trick of the night. I don’t know what might happen if I see him again. Just that I want to. I’m...hoping I get another chance.”

They’re quiet for a moment and ponder her words.

“So tell us about your night,” Madge encourages. “Maybe we can put together enough clues to solve this puzzle.”

Katniss nods and then haltingly tells them everything she remembers. He has a cat. He lived here at some point as a kid because he has childhood memories of the lake and Cray being police chief. He likes dark chocolate cocoa. Favorite book and the music he likes. His stance on certain social issues. All the things they talked about.

“He’s an artist and has a knee-melting smile.” That last one slips out without permission. Katniss clamps her mouth shut and Johanna smirks.

“It sounds like you spent the whole night with him. But you really didn’t exchange numbers or anything?” Darius asks.

“Something came up,” Katniss tries to explain. “I left but I meant to come back, only I guess it took too long. By the time I got back, he was gone.” They’re all silent for a few minutes, digesting this.

“Well, I can bring up some mugshots for you, see if your guy’s been arrested,” Darius offers.

“I doubt that he has,” Katniss says. “He didn’t seem the type.”

“Neither do you,” Johanna points out. “You know who this _does_ sound like, though? ...Peeta.”

“The guy who just opened the bakery on Apple Street?” Finnick asks and glances back over his notes.

“Yes!” Johanna says and points accusingly at Katniss. “And I was trying to set you up with him. Mr. Boring, remember?”

“He didn’t seem boring. I thought he was funny,” Finnick protests and Johanna rolls her eyes.

“You would.”

“Didn’t you say he had memories of this place. As in childhood memories,” Madge asks Katniss.

“Peeta just moved to town a couple months ago.”

“That doesn’t rule him out.”

“It’s both, I think?”

“Who?”

“Peeta.”

“The mystery man.”

 

“Still. You should make Mellark’s Bakery the first place you stop,” Johanna insists.

“Mellark’s? No that can’t be him,” Katniss says, shaking her head and rubbing her temple because it’s started to pound. “I practically had a food orgasm in front of him over the cheese buns and cookies that bakery brought to the party. I think he would’ve said something if they were his.”

And she just talked on Facebook to a P. Mellark with a bakery in town. That _has_ to be this Peeta Johanna is talking about. And her mother was talking about Sae’s just moved to town grandson being a baker. Must be this Peeta guy.

“Maybe,” Johanna argues and crosses her arms petulantly. “You should go check him out anyways. Oh!” She snaps her fingers like she’s just thought of something. “Finnick, didn’t Peeta--”

“Yes!” Finnick agrees. “Katniss, did Mystery Man have a prosthetic leg?”

“I didn’t exactly ask him to drop trou to find out.”

“Irrelevant,” Darius says. “He could and Katniss just didn’t notice.”

“Agreed...So Katniss should go check out Peeta first.” Finnick says.

“And she should bang him even if he isn’t mystery man,” Johanna suggests. Everyone else chimes in as Katniss fails to hold onto her aggravation.

“I’d rather not just bang anyone! I liked the guy that I met. I would prefer to focus on finding him.” They stare at her a moment and Darius apologizes for all of them.

“What if this guy is married?” Gale asks.

“He wasn’t wearing a ring,” Madge tells them.

“Wait! Brainlees, you actually ring checked him?” Johanna yells. “Okay. Now I know you’re serious, even if it is crazy. We have to find this guy.”

“Maybe we should put an ad in the town forums. That might speed things up.”

“Oh yes, let’s all make me look pathetic,” Katniss grumbles.

“No ads,” Madge backs her up and Katniss sends her friend a grateful smile. “We keep this amongst ourselves for now. Yes, Finnick, you can tell Annie,” Madge heads off the protest before he can voice it. “And Darius can tell Thom. There. Everyone happy?”

After a chorus of agreement, Madge stands, checking her watch. “I have to get back to work, but we’ve all got the information. We’re looking for an unmarried, blond haired, blue eyed, mid to late thirties man of average height and stocky build, with a knee melting smile who is maybe new to town. Finnick, Johanna, come up with a list of possibilities and we’ll start with those. Narrow it down from there, got it?”

After a quick agreement, they disperse. Katniss and Finnick make it to the door at the same time and he grins at her.

“Did he, by chance, drop a shoe?” Finnick asks and Katniss glares at him. “What?”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A reminder for text conversations in this chapter:  
> FO = Finnick Odair  
> AC = Annie Cresta-Odair  
> GH = Gale Hawthorne  
> LH = Leevy Hawthorne  
> JM = Johanna Mason  
> MU = Madge Undersee  
> DF = Darius Flannigan  
> TB = Thom Bradley

_They wander through the trees, up and down the rows of hedges. She keeps her hand that he’s not holding shoved in her coat pocket to keep it warm. She should put on her gloves but she doesn’t want to let go of his hand, even for that. The hand he is holding doesn’t even need a glove. His skin radiating heat directly into hers as they wander and talk._

_She begins to build a picture of him, of someone she truly enjoys just spending time with. As soon as he tells her one thing about himself or his thoughts, she thinks of another she wants to know. He seems to feel the same way. The conversation meanders just like their footsteps._

_A few soft flakes begin to fall and he holds out his hand with a smile, catching the snow in his palm. Katniss tips her head back and sticks her tongue out, making him laugh. Then he takes her other hand from her pocket._

_“Care to dance?”_

_He spins her and Katniss gasps. When he pulls her close, she grabs his coat. This can’t be real, she thinks. Surely it’s some kind of dream. She’ll wake up in the morning with her alarm clock blaring and Lady scratching at the door, only a vague feeling of delicious happiness leftover from a wonderful dream._

_They sway as the flakes fall faster and thicker. Quiet whispers in the night. His finger brush over her cheek and she breathes in the faint scent of cinnamon and dill. She holds her breath, holding the scents close to memorize for that cruel moment when she wakes. Then his fingers skim her ears._

_“Your ears are freezing,” he says with worry in his voice. “Here. I’ve got a hat.”_

_He steps back and searches his pockets. “Shoot,” he mutters as a small book and a stubby pencil fall out and fall to the ground. Katniss moves faster than him, kneeling to pick them up. As she stands, she catches a glimpse of a hand drawn flower on one of the pages. She pauses and stares until she realizes that he’s watching at her._

_“Sorry,” she mutters and hands the small sketchbook back to him. He slips it into his pocket. “I didn’t mean to be nosy.”_

_“It’s okay,” he says and slips a knit hat onto her head, down over her ears. Then he cups her cheeks in his hands, which are now finally starting to feel chilled._

_“It’s beautiful,” she says and he smiles._

_“Maybe,” he murmurs, stirring butterflies in her belly as he keeps looking at her intently._

_“So you’re an artist? Or is that too close to asking about your work?”_

_“I don’t make any money off my drawings,” he says, folding their fingers back together and holding her close. “So not an artist by occupation. More by hobby.”_

_“I’d love to see more,” she says and then tries to backtrack when she realizes how prying that sounds. “I mean...only if you want to share.”_

* * *

 

**December 28th - 4 Days to the New Year**

She wakes not to her blaring alarm clock, but to the loud fog horn of her text message notification... from Finnick. Groaning at the interruption of her precious sleep, she rolls over and holds her phone up over her head.

_Blonde haired, blue eyed (not sure about that on some of these), mid thirties-ish, recently moved to Twelve:_

_Peeta Mellark_ _  
_ _Cato Harris_ _  
_ _Marvel Livingston_ _  
_ _Kirk Dalton_   
Joseph Mitchell (may be forties…)

_See email for place of employment._

_Happy hunting, Kat._

Well, she knows where one of them works already so she decides she’ll start with Peeta Mellark, especially since she’s been meaning to check out that bakery anyways. She looks up their address and hours online, pleased to see that they open early enough that she can stop in for something to eat as her breakfast while she rides the train to work.

Then her alarm does start ringing. She smacks it off and rises from bed to begin her day. The bakery is only two blocks over from her home, so it won’t be adding that much time to her walk. She dresses warm and digs through her pockets for her gloves. She pulls out something knit and stares at the hat.

His.

It’s his hat. If nothing else, she tells herself she needs to find him to return it. The self-admonishment is meant to keep her from getting her hopes up. She resumes searching her pockets and finds her gloves. Then sets off at a brisk pace, a spring in her step, and the cold morning air biting her cheeks, the soft green hat keeping her head warm.

She’s a block away when she catches the sweet, heavy scents of sugar and yeast on the wind. For the rest of the way, Katniss walks lifted slightly onto her toes, nose tilted up to follow the scents like a hound to the feast. Warm light spills from the windows. Excitement courses through her as she peers inside at the welcoming wood floors and exposed brick wall adorned with lush images of baked goods. An equally delicious display set up in the windows under the name _Mellark’s_ in curling blue script on the glass. There’s already a decent crowd and she hurries inside, out of the cold and into instant warmth.

“Oh,” she moans and her stomach growls. The place is lovely and bustling. Two employees in white shirts and aprons embroidered with the same font and name hurry to fill orders. Neither of them are familiar to her, but both look to be in their teens, so that’s not unusual. She examines the display cases and makes her selection before joining the line.

“Hey, we’re almost out of the spiced cider crullers. Did Peeta say he had another batch ready to go?” One of the teens asks her coworker.

“I think so? I’ll go ask him,” the other one answers. Before she reaches it, the door to the back room swings open and a blonde man walks through. Tall, lanky. His hair gleaming like gold in the light. He’s dressed like the teens only with a brown apron smeared with flour and bright green frosting. “Hey, do we have any more of the spiced cider crullers? They’re going fast this morning.”

“Yeah, just came out of the oven. I’ll get them,” he answers and disappears into the back again.

Katniss feels her heart sink.

Wrong guy.

She places her order, pays, returns the cheerful farewell, and scurries out into the cold. She halts on the doorstep and acknowledges the feeling in her chest.

She feels let down. She’d actually started to hope that the funny baker she talked to online yesterday was her mystery man. Glancing over her shoulder, Katniss watches through the window as the baker returns with a tray and says something that makes both of the teenagers laugh.

“Strike one,” she says and heads off into the darkness of the morning towards the train station.

What isn’t disappointing is the taste of her danish as it melts on her tongue. She closes her eyes as she chews and relishes the flavors. Complex as a symphony and infinitely satisfying. When there’s a few bites left, she snaps a picture of the half eaten pastry and the bag with the logo on it, sends it to the group text Johanna started to track Katniss’ search.

**_Scratch Peeta Mellark off the list_ **

_FO: Really?_

**_Not Mystery Man._ **

**_Have I mentioned that your initials always make me laugh?_ **

_FO: Haha. Never heard that one before._

_JM: I was sure it’d be him. Sorry, Brainless._

_AC: There’s four others on that list, tho._

_DF: Keep trying, Kat! We’ll find him._

_JM: And hey, keep Peeta in mind if the others are all wrong._

_GH: Thought we were certain MM is one of those five._

_JM: Weeeeelllll…. Minor complication._

**_Oh boy, now what?_ **

_JM: Just had a conversation with Thom and found out that there were some people from Eleven and Ten that I maybe kinda sort of invited too. So Mystery Man could be living in one of the other districts._

_GH: What?!?!_

_MU: By product of our open door policy and Jo’s liberal method of distributing invitations in a crowded metropolitan area with vague city limits_

_LH: Well let’s just focus on the four left on the list for right now and if it isn’t one of them, then we’ll expand our search._

Katniss hides the alerts for the thread after that, leaning her head back as she sways with the motion of the train and thinks back to that night and what, if anything, made her sure he lived in Twelve and not one of the other towns that make up the metropolitan area. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But she’s also not sure how long she wants to drag this out.

She loses her thoughts in her work.

At lunch, she takes her laptop to the roof and opens it to look at the email from Finnick. Might as well develop a plan of attack for the other four men on the list. Cato Harris works at the Twelfth branch of Municipal Bank of Panem. That should be easy enough. She can just go in to make a cash withdrawal and ask after him. Old fashioned, but it’ll work. Resolved, she shuts her laptop and enjoys her lunch and the cold December sunshine, the brisk wind.

On her way home via the bank, Katniss manages to keep her hopes in check. Good thing too, because when she asks the teller in a whisper if she knows a Cato Harris, the woman’s eyes go wide and she points discreetly towards an open office door.

“Get this maggot out of my face!” A hulking blonde man yells, towering over two people who scurry from his office. He catches Katniss staring and sniffs, lips curling in a sneer. Katniss doesn’t even need a second look.

**_Hell no on Cato Harris_ **

_FO: Yeah, I was pretty sure it wouldn’t be him. He scared the daylights out of Nick one day._

_MU: But this is progress! Two down, three to go!_

**_I’m done for the day. I’m going home to binge watch TV and chill in my pajamas._ **

_TB: Reattack tomorrow when you’re rested. Good plan._

Once again, she hides the alerts and finished her commute home. Christmas is over, but she plugs in her lights anyways because the glow that comes in through her windows cheers her a little. It’s not that she resents her friends for their positive outlook on her chances. Katniss just knows it must be easier to maintain that positive outlook when you’re already in a committed relationship.

The shows aren’t holding her interest tonight so she plays around on her phone, stumbling into Facebook eventually and surprised to see that P.B. Mellark has extended a friend request to her. She chews on her nail and then decides the heck with it. She accepts.

He lives and works in the town, and she knows she’ll be back in his bakery, even if he isn’t Mystery Mistletoe Man. Besides, he did make her laugh yesterday. Almost immediately, she gets a notification that he messaged her. Must have done it when he sent the friend request and was held until she accepted him.

_Hi. I’m sorry if I’m crossing a line here. I’m fairly new in town and enjoyed chatting with you, brief as it was, yesterday. Thought I’d extend the friend request to get to know some more of my neighbors._

**_You just want more customers for your bakery._ **

Was that too flirty? She debates the wisdom until her phone pings with a new message from him. She wriggles in her seat to get more comfortable.

_That is an added bonus. Hot ticket item this week is the spiced cider crullers._

**_So I heard this morning._ **

_Oh?_

**_I stopped in on my way to work. Sampled the wares._ **

_Opinion?_

**_You didn’t need the friend request to get me into a bakery._ **

_Lol! A foodie. You’re in good company. ;)_

_If you don’t mind me asking, Katniss. What is it that you do for a living? Rue mentioned a lab?_

_It is Katniss, I read that right? I’m Peeta, btw_

**_You read it right. I’m a botanist. I work in plant disease control._ **

_Is that a self-explanatory job title?_

**_Pretty much._ **

Chuckling to herself, Katniss types a quick explanation. Most people find it boring when she talks about her job, but she’s always found it captivating. Her mother, a nurse, developed an interest in herbal and non-pharmaceutical remedies. She shared that with her daughters. Prim had eventually become a doctor, but Katniss never worked well with healing people -- she’d always been too squeamish for that. She did, however, develop an interest in diseases and parasites that preyed on plant life. Now that’s her job. In her own way, Katniss did become a healer.

_That is...FASCINATING. I didn’t even know that was a thing._

His enthusiasm is charming and he hits her with at least a dozen questions.

_Okay now I have to ask. How did gas become a topic of discussion with a kindergarten class?_

**_Decaying plants can produce methane_ **

**_...aka plant flatulence._ **

_Ha!_

After that, they manage a much more intellectual conversation.

_Any more tips for keeping their interest? Maybe troublemakers to watch out for?_

**_Adelaide Hawthorne. She isn’t a troublemaker, she’s just very busy. So if you see her bouncing around, get her involved. Make her your helper for a task or something._ **

She mentions a few others and Peeta thanks her for the insight. A yawn catches her off guard and she’s surprised to see how late it’s gotten. She should not be keeping a baker up this late, and she herself needs to get to bed soon. It still takes them a few more minutes to get offline, exchanging thanks for the conversation and wishes for a good day tomorrow and to maybe meet back up and chat some more.


	10. Chapter 10

_They find a bench under an apple tree and sit. Katniss shivers as they talk, capitulating and putting on her gloves. His hands shake as he tries to draw something for her, but he keeps scratching it out and flipping to a new page._

_“You could just erase,” she says and he laughs._

_“I’m afraid I’ll erase too much and have to redraw something I’ve already got right.”_

_“We should go back inside then,” she says, resting a hand on his arm. Her teeth chatter and he glances up at her. “It’s probably cleared out at least a little. Everyone with kids will have called it a night by now.”_

_“Find a warm, quiet corner.”_

_“The music room,” she suggests._

_“There’s a music room? Is that an afterschool program too?”_

_“Madge plays piano. She almost pursued it as a career but then she got involved in politics. She still likes to play, but the room is open to the public for practice or can be reserved for concerts and things. That’s where the band was playing.”_

_They’re silent for a moment, listening for the faint strains of music they could hear earlier. Nothing. The silence envelopes them. The soft rush of winter air that seems to hover in cold air._

_“I don’t hear anything,” he whispers and she chuckles._

_“Then let’s go.”_

_He stands and holds out a hand to her, but something in the branches over their heads has caught her attention. She squints just to be sure._

_“What is it?”_

_“Mistletoe,” she says and points at the ball shaped clump of oval leaves sprouting in the crook of two branches._

_“Really?” He looks towards where she’s pointing and smiles when he spots it. “Didn’t know it grew like that.”_

_“It’s a parasite.”_

_“It’s kind of pretty,” he speaks at the same time she does. Then he looks down at the ground. “I’ve never actually seen it for real. Maybe a fresh sprig cut for the holidays but mostly the fake plastic kind. Never alive and growing.”_

_She shuffles her feet and feels a little guilty for killing his excitement._

_“So then why kissing? How’d that happen, I wonder?”_

_Katniss shrugs. “Why not?”_

 

* * *

 

 

**December 29th - 3 Days to the New Year**

She’s smiling the entire commute home. Stunning, given that she had to go into work on a Saturday. They fell behind with the holidays and she spent today playing catch-up. She wasn’t about to ask Eddy to come in when there’s no option for paying interns overtime.

**_So is New Year's a busy holiday for you?_ **

_Yes! I’ve barely left the back room for the past two months. I feel like a troll banished to the dungeon._

_Bake or die, fiend!_

**_Hahahahaha!_ **

_Should have known better than to open a new branch right before the holidays._

**_But you’ve had a steady flow of cash coming in right after opening. That’s good._ **

_Until January when everyone tries to lose weight and get back in shape. Bad news for bakers everywhere :(_

She laughs at the sad faced emoji he sends.

**_No one keeps a resolution for more than a month. Maybe two. You just have to survive until Valentine’s Day. Then you’ll be swamped again.  
_ **

**_Plus everyone will still want bread._ **

_Good point. So what’s your resolution?_

The train screeches to a halt and Katniss slips her phone into her pocket to disembark at her station. She can answer him later. Right now she’s supposed to be meeting Prim for dinner. She and Alan are flying back to Sudan tomorrow and while they’ve spent some time together the past few days, it’s always with Alan. Katniss has really been wanting some sister time.

The streets are fairly busy. It’s Saturday and the first mild night in awhile. Preparations for the New Year’s Eve bash and Pinecone drop are well under way. A few of the restaurants downtown have put out heaters that warm their patios. Candlelight illuminates faces as patrons eat and talk and laugh. The Christmas garlands and lights still adorn the lamp posts, giving the town a festive air.

Katniss is ten feet from the door when she’s stopped by a woman she vaguely recognizes.

“It’s Katniss, right? You probably don’t remember me. We met a few months ago. I work with Annie Cresta?”

“I -- “ Katniss stammers, but the woman waves away her concern.

“It’s alright. We only spoke for a few minutes. But my name is Helen Parker and my son is named George.” She pulls out her phone and shows off a picture of a man. “He’s single. Has been for awhile, but I honestly don’t know why. He’s such a sweetheart. Works in computer programming which is kind of like botany. They’re both science, right?”

“They’re actually nothing alike at all,” Katniss says as it sinks in what this woman is doing. The question is...why?

“Oh but George has a lovely garden behind his house. I’m sure you’d love it! Did I mention that he owns his own house?”

“I’m sorry. I’m a little confused here,” Katniss says. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Oh. I heard you were looking for love.”

Katniss grumbles under her breath and politely tries to extricate herself from the conversation. She manages only by insisting that she’s late meeting her sister.

“Don’t forget! George Parker!”

The woman’s shout pushes her into the restaurant lobby and she heaves a sigh of relief before giving her name and party number to the hostess. Prim arrives shortly after and Katniss hugs her.

“How was work?” Prim asks as they sit. Conversation flows easy, even when Katniss asks about Alan and the sudden engagement.

“It’s actually not that sudden. We’ve been together for two years now, remember?”

“But this is first you’ve talked about marriage.”

“Maybe with you. But Alan and I have talked about it before. We just didn’t share that with our families because we’re both on the go so much. His family thinks that getting married means settling down. As in, not traveling to other countries to help vaccinate kids or perform necessary medical care so--” she trails off as Katniss lays her hand over her little sister’s. “I was hoping you and Mom would be more understanding.”

“You’re doing what you love. And if you and Alan traipse across the globe for work, at least you’ll have each other.”

“Yeah?” Prim asks, her eyes watering.

“I just want you to be happy.”

“I am,” Prim insists.

“Then so am I,” Katniss says. Prim shifts the talk to Lady then and Katniss talks about how she’s noticing the signs of age in her faithful companion. Then the food arrives and Katniss fills Prim in on the latest happenings in Twelve. They talk the entire meal and by the end, Katniss is content. It doesn’t matter that her Duck is getting married or doesn’t spend much time at home anymore. When she does, they’re always able to pick right back up like this.

Prim says she wants to see Lady and maybe join them for a walk, so they head towards Katniss’ home. Along the way, a complete stranger stops them.

“Katniss Everdeen? Oh the gossip is true. You are lovely!” Katniss startles at this and can feel Prim’s eyes on her as the woman continues. “I hope this isn’t too forward. My son is single and an absolute catch!”

Once again, Katniss finds herself viewing pictures on a phone and being handed a phone number before the woman rushes off.

“Thresh Mulaney! Don’t forget! Give him a call. I promise you won’t regret it.”

They stand in shock for a good thirty seconds before Prim takes a deep breath and voices both of their thoughts.

“What just happened?”

“I have no idea. Let’s get out of here.”

They walk in a daze and Katniss is just feeling safe when it happens again. At the front stoop, Katniss notices her across the street neighbor waving at her. At least she knows this one.

“Hi, Mrs. Flannigan. How are you doing tonight?” she says as Darius’ mother jogs across the street.

“Wonderful, dear. But I need your help with something.”

“Sure,” Katniss agrees.

“Darius. My poor boy. He works so hard, I’m afraid he just hasn’t made time for love. Now I’m not one to complain, but I was hoping for at least one grandchild by now…” Katniss stands there, rendered mute as Mrs. Flannigan holds Katniss’ hand in hers, gently patting while she lists all of Darius’ charms. Prim stands beside her, stiff and silent. “Now I know that you two are good friends and that can sometimes be tricky, but really the best marriages are built on friendships. So will you?”

“I...Mrs. Flannigan, I appreciate the thoughts but I’m not looking for a relationship right now.”

“You’re not?” Katniss shakes her head dumbly. “Hm that’s odd. I was sure Laura Thompson said you were on the hunt for a man. In the market for love. Now I know it’s not Darius, but if you can’t find this mystery man, keep him in mind?”

“I -- sure -- of course. You know, Mrs. Flannigan, I’m sure Darius will find love one day.”

“Of course he will,” Mrs. Flannigan says and pats her cheek. “I have faith.” Then she hurries back across the street, leaving the two sisters flabbergasted.

“Mystery man? Looking for love? Katniss what is going on here besides literally everyone in town except for his own mother knowing that Darius and Thom aren’t just _roommates_?”

“We’re going inside,” Katniss says and furiously texts her friends.

**_Alright. Who spilled the beans?_ **

_JM: What are you talking about?_

_FO: What beans?_

**_I just had three women, including Darius’ MOTHER try to set me up with their tragically single sons. All within an hour!_ **

There’s a few minutes of complete silence from all parties while Katniss scrounges for some kind of alcohol, coming up with wine and pouring two glasses.

_LH: My mother is a sucker for a romantic story, I’m so sorry! It just slipped out!_

_GH: She’s also a notorious gossip. We’re sorry, Catnip._

_DF: Hey Katniss...you didn’t tell her anything, did you?_

**_Of course not. That’s not my place._ **

_DF: K. Thanks. Sorry about that. I know she’s a bit zealous._

Katniss sends back a heart to him and then hands Prim her wine, sits on her couch, takes a deep breath, and explains everything to Prim. Starting from the food sharing and ending with Darius’ mother.

“Oh. My. Gosh. That is so romantic! Katniss, you have to find him!” Prim yells and grabs her arms, shaking Katniss’ whole frame and making her laugh.

“Okay! Okay! I’ve got three more possibilities.”

“Oh! We should take Lady for her walk and check one or two of them out!”

First up is Marvel Livingston, who works in a jewelry store. “Ooooooh,” Prim purrs. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”

“Ugh,” Katniss groans as the walk towards the store, Lady weaving from hydrant to tree to alley opening, sniffing as she goes. “He might not be working tonight.”

A cheerful bell welcomes them, followed by Cashmere Kaden, the proprietress. “Evening girls. I don’t see you two very often.”

“Hi Cassie!” Prim greets and moves to hug the woman.

“How is Sudan?” Prim talks for a few minutes before drawing attention to Katniss.

“But really we’re here for Katniss.”

“Oh?” Cashmere says and Katniss nods.

“Do you have a Marvel Livingston working here?” Cashmere’s smile falls.

“Oh girls. I really hope you two aren’t involved with him.”

“No, not...exactly,” Katniss says as she shares a look with her sister. “What did he do?”

“I had to have him arrested this morning. Your uncle...I swear I don’t know what I’d do without his help. It was such a delicate thing.”

“Of course,” Prim says, nodding sagely. Katniss stares at her and shakes her head wondering what Prim is up to, and why her Uncle Haymitch, a lawyer, would be helping Cashmere arrest someone. Don't the lawyers come later?

“I mean it’s one thing to bring a girlfriend to show her where you work after hours but to use her as a shield to swap out gems with fakes?”

“That’s awful!” Prim agrees.

”of course you understand why I want this kept quiet. Thankfully none of the fakes were sold and if word got out...well it could ruin our reputation.”

”we understand,” Prim says and Cashmere smiles.

“I knew you girls were better than that. So why _are_ you looking for Marvel?”

“Well we’re not sure that it’s Marvel--”

“Oh! Katniss’ mystery beau! Of course,” Cashmere interjects, making Katniss frown. Has everyone heard? “I’m sure it wasn’t Marvel, but just to be sure,” Cashmere leads them to the back room and pulls up security camera footage on her computer. She pauses the footage and points.“There.”

“That’s not my guy,” Katniss says and Cashmere sighs in relief.

They make it one block before Katniss bursts into hysterical laughter.

“Bullet dodged,” says a stunned Prim and Katniss nods. Next they stop in front of the All Hours Fitness, where Joseph Mitchell -- personal trainer -- works, and stare through the window. There’s a class in session. A group of men doing some sort of exercise involving large metal balls with handles on them. The girls watch for a moment. “You want to handle this?”

“I don’t know if I can handle another scene like that last one,” Katniss complains.

“Alright,” Prim says and fluffs her hair. “I’m going in.”

“Prim--” but it’s too late. Prim sweeps through the door and cheerfully greets the girl working the desk. The girl turns and shouts. As Katniss watches, the blonde man leading the class shouts an instruction and then walks over to Prim, shakes her hand and starts talking to her. He is at least attractive and appears polite towards her sister.

At one point the man turns away from Prim and rifles through papers on the desk. Prim turns towards the window and points.

 _Is that him?_ She mouths.

Katniss shakes her head and three minutes later, Prim is on the street again.

“Well that wasn’t too painful. And now...we’re down to Kirk Dalton.”

“We need to get you home, Duck. You have to be up early to catch a flight,” Katniss says, suddenly tired herself. They walk to the nearest train station and Prim turns to hug Katniss. A sadness sweeps over them as they embrace.

“You’ll find him,” Prim assures her sister. Katniss nods.

“I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“You better,” Prim says with a grin. “And next time I come home, you’re trying on bridesmaid dresses. I’ve got my fingers crossed you’ll already have your plus one for my wedding!”

Katniss laughs and tells her to get lost. Then she wanders back home. Along the way, she passes Mellark’s bakery. It’s closed for the night, the windows dark and the door shuttered. Katniss lingers for a minute, looking at the displays. Struck by a sudden whim, she hurries home.

After feeding Lady and changing into her pajamas, Katniss flops onto her bed and returns to Facebook Messenger to answer the question Peeta asked her earlier. He hasn’t sent her anymore messages, perhaps patiently waiting for her to get back to him. She likes that. Instead of being pushy or clingy, it shows that he understands sometimes life interrupts.

After a moment of thinking, Katniss types out her answer.

**_I resolve...to not make any New Year’s Resolutions._ **

She sets aside her phone, grabs her book off the nightstand, and starts reading. She’s made it a few pages when her phone alerts her that Peeta has answered.

_By that logic, you’ll be making a New Year’s resolution by the end of February._

Katniss laughs and rolls onto her back, considering her answer.

**_What about you? What’s your resolution?_ **

_To not fall for any of my brother’s pranks._

**_You’ve at least gotta keep that one until April 1st._ **

_I don’t know if I have the willpower for that._

Once again, Katniss finds her shoulders shaking with laughter.

**_Maybe something more achievable then. Like not sampling the cookie batter._ **

He doesn’t answer right away and she returns to reading, eventually slipping into sleep. Her dreams that night are confusing. A swirl of faces and ever-changing blonde hair. Warm blue eyes, a heat in her chest and laughter in her ears. But she can’t identify anyone she sees that night, their faces blurred, almost melting together.


	11. Chapter 11

_“It is kind of a tradition,” he says and her breath catches. She stares at him in the moonlight, gets caught in the pull of his blue eyes and takes a step closer to him. His eyes caress over her face. “May I kiss you?”_

_“Well,” she whispers, her voice hoarse and a cloud of steam curling into the night from her mouth. “It_ is _a tradition.”_

_Her hands slide over his shoulders as they move together, cold lips meeting for just a brief touch. Barely a spark. When he lifts his head, she staggers forward a step, trying to follow. He smiles at her and warmth curls through her, down to her knees, which she swears are melting from the look he’s giving her. His fingers trace over her cheek and then her lips._

_“Can I kiss you again?”_

_This time, she doesn’t answer with words, instead curling her fingers through his hair and pulling their bodies back together. She shivers and his arms enclose her in a steady embrace. Her thighs press close to his. Her skin burns from being out in the cold for so long but another spark ignites inside her. Chilled lips caress and fan the flames. Katniss gives up on identifying what’s cold and what’s burning. Everything is both._

_A cold breeze sweeps through the garden, moaning low through the branches and making her shiver. He holds the back of her head in his palm and tilts. Deepens the kiss. Her knees give out and she leans into him, leans into the source of heat. He’s the only thing keeping her from collapsing on the cold ground, and Katniss knows._

_She won't be the one to stop._

 

* * *

 

 

**December 30th - 2 Days to the New Year**

In the morning, she checks her phone first thing and smiles.

 

_No sampling the cookie batter?!?! Gasp!_

_I won’t make it an hour._

 

She grins at his answer and fixes herself a huge breakfast. Snaps a picture, sending it to Peeta.

 

**_What do you think? Do I have baker potential?_ **

_Are you giving me competition?_

 

Katniss laughs out loud and eats. Then she showers and settles on the couch to watch some morning news. Her fingers keep inching back towards her phone, but each time she picks it up, faces flash through her head.

They’re much easier to separate in the daylight. Tall and lanky Peeta in his baker’s apron, next to the solid and stocky Mystery Man. Her feet shift on the couch, restless and confused. There’s nothing about her conversations with Peeta that suggests he’s flirting with her or even interested. He’s never even seen her face since she doesn’t post pictures of herself to her Facebook. So why does she feel like she’s misleading the one while searching for the other, like she’s betraying one while flirting with the other.

It makes no sense. None whatsoever. There’s no reason why she can’t have a friendly conversation with Peeta and maybe flirt a little bit. She’s given neither of them any commitment anyways and really it’s vain of her to think either one would want that from her.

She’s typing out a response to Peeta when a text from Johanna comes in, taking over her screen.

 

_JM: I am calling in every favor you’ve ever owed me_

**_*I don’t think I owe you any favors._ **

_JM: We have been friends far too long for you to not owe me SOMETHING_

**_*Coming up blank_ **

_JM: Fine. I’ll owe you_

**_*What do you need?_ **

_JM: We had two acts bail on us for the NYE countdown_

**_*No_ **

_JM: Please? I only need you to sing one song_

**_*Hell no_ **

_JM: You have got an amazing voice and I am in neeeeeeed of your talents_

**_*Cut the flattery_ **

_JM: I’m asking for Madge. She’s already said she’ll accompany you_

**_*Oh that’s low_ **

_JM: You love me_

**_*I love her more_ **

_JM: Great, I’ll send you your options. Let me know which one you’re singing ASAP. Rehearsal at four. Music room. Be there or I will rip your throat out._

**_*Then I won’t be able to sing_ **

 

Johanna sends four song choices and Katniss opens her music app to take a quick listen. She recognizes the names but wants to hear the vocals and beats before she chooses. She spends the rest of her morning sashaying through her home, singing bits of lyrics to get a feel for them. She makes a snap decision for upbeat and perky, sending her choice to Johanna. That feels right. One should ring in the new year with hope and excitement, right?

 

_JM: Knew I could count on you_

**_*You’re buying lunch until Madge is out of office._ **

_JM: Done_

_JM: Hey. Where are you with Mystery Man?_

**_*I’ve got one left to check out. Kirk Dalton works about a block away from the lab, and I need to go in anyways. I may have cold called to find out if they’d be working today. They are since it’s close to press day. So I’ll go over lunch._ **

_JM: Woohoo! Tell me how it goes!_

 

She sends a bunch of fingers crossed emojis and Katniss laughs. Then she finds her earbuds and pops them in as she leaves for work, spends the commute mouthing the words, memorizing the lyrics. She and Madge haven’t performed like this in years. She sings full tilt while she works in the lab and by the time lunch rolls around, she’s actually a little excited.

There was always music in her home as a child. Her father with his voice that could make even the birds stop to listen when he sang. Katniss has a thousand memories of singing with him. Of the painful silence after his death, when all music seemed to vanish with him.

As the minutes tick by, her voice grows in strength and power. She’s practically dancing as she leaves the building and walks the short distance to Panem Tower, where Kirk Dalton works as an editor for an agriculture journal. Her nerves have her buzzing as she rides the elevator up to the tenth floor.

This is it, she tells herself as she approaches the receptionist’s desk and clears her throat.

“How can I help you?” the young woman asks with a kind smile.

“Hi. I’m looking for a Kirk Dalton?”

“You must be from the cattle association. He’s expecting you.”

“Oh no, I--”

“Kirk, your twelve o’clock is here,” she tells a broad shouldered blond man in a brown suit as he walks around a corner. His face folds into confusion as he takes her in.

“I’m not your twelve o’clock,” Katniss says and he smiles, the expression kind. Her knees remain firm.

“I figured as much.”

It’s not him.

Embarrassment rushes in, heating her cheeks to unbearable.

“I’m so sorry, I thought you were someone else,” Katniss says and runs from the office, barely hearing the receptionist asking what that was about.

She hides in her lab. Listens to the song and can’t quite summon the energy.

 

**_*Is it too late for a song switch?_ **

_MU: Not at all. I’m not sure I can work through this many runs by tomorrow night. Maybe something slow and simpler?_

 

Katniss sends her idea to Madge. Then switches the song on her phone and croons the lyrics. She hadn’t wanted to sing this one. It felt too personal, but as she sings, she knows. It’ll be a heck of a performance.

She’s out of names and didn’t think it’d hurt this much. If only she’d gotten his name at some point during that night.

After she wraps up the last few things she wants to take care of so she doesn’t have to come in tomorrow or on the first, she walks to the train and flops onto her seat. Her fingers bring up the messenger app, hoping for something cheerful. Peeta doesn't disappoint.

 

_You never told me what you ordered last time you were in here or what you thought of it._

**_Why do you want to know?_ **

 

She closes her eyes and lets the music pour through her. A few minutes later, a chime interrupts.

 

_I am a concerned purveyor of baked goods and want all of my customers to be satisfied with your purchases._

_Also it’ll help me make an informed recommendation on what you should try next._

 

Maybe Mystery Man is gone forever. Maybe she missed that chance. But here is at least a friend, maybe, right in front of her. Katniss smiles and tells him.

 

**_The cheese Danish. But also, there were these cheese rolls at the Mayor’s holiday party a little over a week ago. Those were amazing._ **

_Those do tend to go fast. They’re one of our best sellers._

**_I could use some now. Just spent the day at work._ **

_Getting ready for holidays?_

**_Yep, finishing up tasks._ **

 

She bores him with the details, although he doesn’t act bored at all. Asking questions and cracking jokes that make her laugh and draw glances from her fellow passengers on the train. But then her trip is over and she puts her phone away to make the walk to the Mayor’s. Maybe she’ll grab Lady after rehearsals and they’ll walk to Mellark’s for some cheese rolls. That would be nice.

Rehearsal goes well. She and Madge used to perform together for all kinds of college functions and every now and then for family. At least until Katniss’ Dad passed away. The singing today did her good and so did her conversation with Peeta, both softening the blow of exhausting her list with no success.

Katniss hasn’t told any of her friends yet, grateful that Johanna was too busy with other preparations to stick her head in on Madge and Katniss’ rehearsal. The day is looking up when she inserts the key to her door and freezes.

“I didn’t leave my Christmas lights turned on--”

The door flies open, yanking her keys out of her hand and she’s engulfed in chiffon and feathers and perfume.

“Katniss, Darling where have you been all day?”

“Working, Aunt Effie,” Katniss hacks out through the cloud of perfume.

“You work too much, my dear. It’ll give you premature crows feet.” Katniss scowls as Effie releases her and steps back to examine her. “Hmmm. You left the house with no mascara again. How many times must I tell you? Dressing up these gorgeous eyes will make you feel better.”

“I feel fine, Effie.”

“And your smile shows it. Now dear!” Effie cuts off any further arguments and drags Katniss inside, shutting the door behind them. “I am here because Johanna has informed me of your dilemma.”

“What dilemma?” Katniss asks, suddenly on her guard.

“The New Year’s Eve bash. I am handling wardrobe--” Katniss scoffs at this and Effie surges forward. “Now our headliner is wearing Cinna, marvelous, just marvelous. But you my dear...well your wardrobe is a bit…”

“Dull.”

Katniss turns her scowl on her Uncle Haymitch, who was apparently napping on her couch and cuddling with Lady.

“Whatever I wear is going to be under a coat, Effie. It’s going to be freezing tomorrow night.”

“But you will know what is under that coat, which means it needs to make you feel--”

“Spectacular!” Haymitch mimics and now Effie joins Katniss in glaring at him.

“Really, Haymitch. If you aren’t going to be helpful, at least be quiet.”

“Don’t scowl at me, sweetheart,” Haymitch points at Katniss. “I’m on your side this time.”

“Funny way of showing it.”

“I’ll make you girls coffee,” Haymitch says and lumbers up off the couch.

“Thank you. Now Katniss, darling. I will admit that I was a bit hurt that you didn’t come to me with the other problem,” Effie says.

“What problem?” Katniss asks, holding back a groan because if the gossip and matchmaking mama’s from yesterday are any indication, she knows she’s not ready to face Effie.

“Your mystery gentleman! You know I keep tabs on every eligible bachelor in the entire metropolitan area.”

“There’s no sugar!”

“In the drawer, Haymitch!” Effie answers and sighs dramatically. “That man wouldn’t know his head from a volleyball if it weren’t for me.”

Katniss smothers her sudden laughter and nods. No one in town knows what Haymitch and Effie’s relationship is. Neither of them wear wedding rings and no one remembers them getting married. They don’t live in the same house, but they are rarely far from one another and they argue like an old married couple. Johanna swears they’re having a mad passionate affair, but Finnick claims she’s out of her mind. Katniss prefers not to think about it one way or another since Haymitch is her Dad’s cousin and acts more like an uncle anyways, hence the titles Aunt Effie and Uncle Haymitch.

“As I was saying--”

“Effie, I appreciate the offer but Finnick and the others put together a list for me based on what I know about him.”

“Oh! Well that’s...wonderful,” Effie says with false cheer. Katniss smiles and tries to soften the blow. She might be annoying, but Effie means well. “Did you hear that, Haymitch. We’re not needed here after all.”

“Can you wait until I finish my coffee before you throw a tantrum?”

“Well!”

“So my attire!” Katniss says loudly, grabbing Effie’s attention. “You were concerned about my attire for tomorrow.”

“Yes dear,” Effie says with a smile. “I found a lovely coat and sweater in your closet that you can wear but the shoes and pants...do you have anything that doesn’t have mud on them?”

“I’m not wearing heels.”

“I never said you were!” Effie huffs. “I was referring to your boots. We need something soft and maybe suede. Up to your knees, I think. And I am also very concerned with your lack of suitable lingerie.”

“Pardon? I don’t think the audience cares what color underwear I have on.” Katniss says and Effie looks at her like she has three heads.

“If you’re going to hunt down a man, darling, you need a foolproof trap to lay for him.”

“Women are born with one of those,” Haymitch grumbles as he returns to the room and settles on the sofa with his coffee, handing a mug to Katniss as well. Effie shoots a glare in his direction.

“Be polite, Haymitch.”

“How do you know whether or not I own any lingerie?” Katniss asks Effie and Haymitch bounces right back out of his chair.

“Got any Bailey’s?”

“Pantry, behind the uncooked pastas and rice,” Effie tells him. “Darling. Johanna informed me that you haven’t purchased so much as a new bra in over a year. But it is a fairly easily rectified problem. I am here to take you shopping.”

“And I am here to pamper your dog and pretend none of this is real,” Haymitch says, lifting his mug in a toast before disappearing into the kitchen.

“You better not mess with my Netflix queue,” Katniss tells her uncle as Effie drags her towards the door.

“Have fun girls.”

It’s like the Christmas from hell. Or rather Frederick’s, Katniss thinks as she drops the bags in her bedroom and flops onto the couch, grateful for the silence left in Effie and Haymitch’s perfume and booze wake. She's had far too much chatter and human interaction for the evening, not to mention Effie's zeal in trying to find Katniss a man. Sometimes Effie is worse than her own mother.

Katniss lifts her arm and stares at her phone screen. She has half a dozen text messages and a few notifications from Facebook, one missed call from her mother. She ignores them all and turns off her phone.

And then she falls asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Cheese and fluff AHOY!
> 
> Also, the song Katniss sings here is "Talking to the Moon" by Bruno Mars

_They break apart, shuddering and laughing. Teeth chattering. Clouds of exhales shimmering in the moonlight as they both try to catch their breaths._

_“Inside?” he asks._

_“Yes,” Katniss stammers. He takes her hand and leads the way back. Back towards the music room, which is cleared out now. She giggles as she spots a fake sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling and points it out to him._

_The kisses never seem to end as they slowly melt from their time in the cold. Her toes begin hurt, the stabbing pain makes her gasp and cling to his sweater. There’s laughter in the hallway outside the room and her head spins like she’s drunk, but she hasn’t had a drop of alcohol tonight._

_“Wait,” she gasps as his lips caress over her neck. “Wait. I have to—“ she motions towards the hallway and he releases her, confusion on his face._

_“Ladies room,” Katniss explains. “I’ll be right back. Just...Don’t...don’t go anywhere.”_

_“Okay,” he says with a smile and she stumbles through the house, locking herself in the bathroom and hyperventilating and mumbling to herself._

_“What am I doing? Okay calm down, Katniss. It’s not that big of a deal. You are a grown woman. You can ask a guy home with you.” She paces and turns on the faucet to splash water on her face, pausing to stare at her reflection. Her lips swollen and kissed, eyes bright and shining, cheeks rosy. Kissing looks good on her._

_“Would you like to come home with me?” She practices and clears her throat. “Would you like to come home with me…it would help if you knew his name first.” With a groan, she turns off the water and leaves._

_“Oh! Coming through!”_

_A body shoves past her as soon as she opens the door, the girl falling to her knees and promptly puking into the toilet._

_Katniss cringes and moves to leave, but she recognizes the woman. Glances down the hall towards the music room, debating her choices._

_This won’t take long._

_She shuts the door and carefully approaches the other woman._

_“Bristel, it’s Katniss.”_

_“Hi Katniss.” She barely lifts her head and Katniss wrinkles her nose at the stench, but gathers up Bristel’s hair for her._

_She rubs the other woman’s back and holds her hair. When she’s done, Katniss helps her wash her face, checking the time repeatedly. They stagger from the bathroom. Bristel loses her balance and they crash into a wall._

_“To the bar!” Bristel announces._

_“I think maybe you should go home.”_

_“Yeah,” Bristel says with a groan. “You’re probably right.”_

_“Did you come here with someone?”_

_“Nope! All by my lonesome.” Bristel sobs at this and covers her mouth._

_Katniss helps her to the table at the front, staff members assisting partygoers with rides home. Uber, taxis, and more._

_“It’ll be a fifteen minute wait,” the guy tells her. “All our drivers are busy right now.”_

_“What?”_

_“I only live like five minutes from here. I can walk.”_

_“You cannot walk.” Katniss glances back towards the heart of the mansion. Towards him. The attendant seems to sense her dilemma._

_“She can sit here and wait for a ride if you need to get back.”_

_“I’ll wait at the bar! Hey! Why don’t you join me, Katnissssssss.”_

_She cringes and shares a helpless look with the attendant as Bristel’s legs seem to give out. She can barely stand, let alone walk. How is she going to get herself into her home?_

_Fifteen minutes pass like an hour and every one of Bristel’s drunken tunes on the drive grates on Katniss’ nerves. But what else was she supposed to do? Leave Bristel alone?_

_She bounces her legs and then tries to hurry getting Bristel inside and taken care of, but drunk people never know haste._

_“Thanks, Katniss,” Bristel slurs as Katniss sets a glass of water and some pills beside the bed._

_“Of course,” Katniss says. Because she hopes that she never finds herself in the spot Bristel just did without a friend._

_At the first snore, Katniss runs back outside and stomps her foot at the empty street. The Uber driver didn’t wait for her like she asked. It’ll take too long to get another one and she’s already been gone for forty minutes._

_Forty minutes!_

_She’ll be lucky if he hasn’t already left. Katniss takes off at a sprint, panting and sweating by the time she makes it back to the mansion._

_The crowd has thinned considerably by now. The great clock in the hallway starts to ring midnight as she passes it on her way to the music room, searching faces as she goes._

_The heat in the building mix with the traces of cold left embedded in her skin. Caresses over her lips and cheeks. She spins when she hears a warm laugh, but the sound isn’t quite right. She halts in the doorway to the music room and feels as though the world crashes to a halt in her wake._

_He’s gone_.

* * *

 

**December 31st - 1 Day to the New Year**

Katniss drags herself from sleep and into the shower. She’s getting tired of dreaming about her search for him. She knows she should have gotten his name. She knows she shouldn’t have panicked and run off. She knows she should have found someone else to take care of Bristel or dragged the drunk girl to the music room first to explain. She knows she shouldn’t have gotten drunk herself after realizing he’d vanished.

“Such a lightweight,” she mutters and slams her shampoo bottle back on the shelf. “Two candy cane twists and I’m done!”

There’s still that chance. They live in a big city but there’s only a finite number of people. She could still run into him by chance. But why hold out for something that might not even be real?

After getting dressed and eating breakfast, she feels refreshed and deals with her backlog of communication from yesterday. Calls her mother to confirm that she is singing tonight and no she hasn’t found her mystery man and yes she’s sorry for not telling her own mother about it first.

Her friends to tell them that Mystery Man has vanished.

 

_FO: I know he wasn’t mystery man, but Peeta seemed really nice._

_JM: Nice and boring. Just your type. Also free, fresh baked goods for life._

**_*I’ll think about it_ **

 

Katniss concedes and then reads for awhile. Cleans her home. She doesn’t want to start the New Year with a messy living space. She’s resisting temptation and finally gives up after lunch. Opens her messenger app. She hasn’t told any of her friends she’s been chatting with Peeta. Too afraid to hear what they’ll say.

Let the Mystery Man go.

Why take that risk when there’s someone so kind and funny right in front of her. She runs her thumb over the screen and smiles at his last message to her. She didn’t see it yesterday.

 

_In other news, I still haven’t left the kitchen in ages. Forgotten what it’s like to speak with a living, breathing customer._

 

Tucking her hair back behind her ear, Katniss types out a quick response.

 

**_I’m a living, breathing customer._ **

_True._

_But I miss the face to face, you know?_

**_No, I don’t know. I’m not big on people. That’s why I work in a laboratory._ **

_Do you talk to your plants?_

_**Do you talk to your bread?** _

_Right now...yes. That is how desperate I am for some interaction._

 

She laughs and considers how to respond when his next message brings the world to a standstill.

 

_You know, next time you’re in the bakery, you could have the kids tell me._

_Then I could give you that recommendation in person._

 

His words give her pause. Is that a desire to meet her face to face? Or is she reading into it too much?

 

_Just make sure it’s them and not my brother. He’s driving me insane right now._

 

Family driving one insane. That’s a much safer topic and Katniss latches on to it.

 

**_Ah, that’s right. You did mention that you have a brother._ **

**_The prankster._ **

_Step brothers. Two of them._

**_So tell me about them_ **

_Middle brother has been here for a few hours every day for the past week or two to help out. I hired enough staff, but then one of my kids came down with mono. Poor guy. Crummy time of year to get sick._

**_That does stink._ **

**_Your brother is a baker too?_ **

_All three of us are. Sort of._

_Lol, that’s vague._

_We used to live here in Twelve. Dad always wanted to open a bakery, but Mom didn’t think it was a sound investment. They divorced. We moved._

_My dad opened the first Mellark’s in Eight back when I was a kid. Then he met Karen and blessed me with a stepmom and two step brothers. They worked in the bakery for years, although Ryen’s better at the customer service than he is in the kitchen._

_When Dad died, I took over. My step brothers helped out a lot and when the business had grown enough, we opened a branch in Ten. My oldest brother stayed behind to keep running the one in Eight. And now, I’m running this one here in Twelve while Ryen, the middle Mellark, runs the branch in Ten._

**_Well I’m sure this one will be a huge success. I might become your best customer._ **

_You’ll have to stop by again so I can make sure you do._

 

Now that is a definite desire to meet her face to face.

 

_Gotta keep my customers happy. :)_

 

She steers them back towards family talk.

 

**_So what’s your brother doing to drive you crazy?_ **

_Oh the usual. I messed something up recently and he’s not letting me forget it._

**_Sounds like a loving sibling_ **

_That’s for sure. So you have loving siblings too?_

**_Oh my sister is a saint. I have a crazy aunt, uncle, and mother who have made it their life mission to make sure I don’t become a spinster, especially now that she’s engaged._ **

_Haha! What is it about the holidays that makes relatives think they’re all gifted matchmakers?_

**_I don’t know but it’s driving me up the wall._ **

**_That’s actually why I fell off the face of the earth yesterday._ **

_No worries. I was pretty swamped here._

_But I’m glad to hear from you today._

_Also, I’m still busy getting stuff ready for tonight, so I might be the one to vanish with no word today._

**_Ooooh. What are you making?_ **

 

She only has to wait a moment before he sends her a picture of a scrumptious looking chocolate cake dotted with meringue puffs.

 

_So there’s that. I haven’t named it yet. Maybe something with firework or firecracker._

_And then there’s my white chocolate mimosa cheesecake_

_Spiced pear upside down cake_

_Whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies_

_Jam filled pinweel cookies_

_Salted butter cookies_

_Lemon honey tart with salted crust_

_Citrus and coconut crumble_

_Chocolate lava cake_

_Cranberry-lime pie_

_Baked brie and fig jam bites_

_Strawberry rosé cupcakes_

**_Oh my god stop. You are making me so hungry._ **

_Midnight kiss cookies_

_I was just getting warmed up_

 

Her phone chimes with a reminder then and she scrambles out of her chair.

 

**_Also late. I have to go!_ **

 

Katniss runs around her room, gathering everything she’ll need for tonight and then races out the door to the mayor’s mansion for one last rehearsal.

“You’re gonna knock them dead,” Johanna says with glee as they start packing up gear to head towards the city square to finish setup.

“I prefer playing to a live audience, so try not to kill too many,” Madge says with a smile. Then she wraps Katniss in a hug with no words about Mystery Men or missed chances or ticking biological clocks. Katniss leans into the embrace and smiles.

As midnight approaches, the square fills and comes to life. Bright spotlights illuminate the space. Music bounces off the brick and mortar walls of the buildings. Katniss finds her mother and Effie in the crowd. They sip hot chocolate and dance to the music. A few friends stop by to chat for a moment or two. For now, everything is perfect. She’s not even nervous about singing. Maybe tomorrow she’ll find the courage to return to the bakery and actually ask after Peeta.

Friends, she tells herself. Good friends. Although she’d be lying if she claimed there wasn’t a tiny sliver of her heart that’s already begun to hope. She keeps touching the green knit hat on her head. It was probably a mistake to wear it, but it feels like a slice of courage. Just enough to maybe take a risk.

Then she spots it. A slice of chocolate cake decorated with meringue puffs being stuffed into Darius’ mouth.

“Where’d you get that?” she shouts over the loud noise and he glances guiltily down at it.

“I got the last slice. Want a bite?”

“No! Where?” she shouts again and he points towards the back of the square. She vaguely remembers Madge mentioning that there would be food vendors tonight. Clearly Peeta has a booth set up. She doesn’t have to wait.

“Katniss! You’re on in ten minutes,” Effie says, pushing her towards the stage. “Go get warmed up!”

Or maybe she does have to wait. She’s in a daze as she warms up her voice and Madge whispers encouragement, squeezes her hand in solidarity.

“I’m gonna go make sure they’re ready for the sound switches,” Madge says and Katniss nods.

The number before them is loud, abrasive rock. The singer’s scratchy voice sounds vaguely familiar, but Katniss is too distracted by the tall and lanky, blonde man who’s just ducked backstage with a nervous smile on his face.

Now’s her chance.

“Hey,” she says and he nods curtly to her.

“Hey.”

Then she remembers. He’s never seen her face. She clears her throat and smiles.

“I see you finally made it out of the kitchen.”

“Beg your pardon?” The music stops on stage and the applause begins. She’s running out of time again.

“Real human interaction? Saw your firework cake being eaten. My friend got the last slice and I’m a little jealous.”

“Uh…” he looks at her like she’s crazy and her cheeks and insides start to burn. Being cute was clearly the wrong approach. She opens her mouth to tell him her name when someone interrupts.

“Ryen Mellark. You have a lot of nerve showing your face here!”

He turns frightened brown eyes towards the woman descending from the stage. A bombshell in a slinky silver dress. The same one from the party.

“Honey! I can explain!”

“You better talk fast!”

“Katniss?” Madge asks and tugs her towards the stage. “Katniss we’re on. You okay?”

“Fine.”

Fine. She walks up the stairs in a daze.

Not fine! She wants to yell as a hundred things fly through her brain and clamor for her attention. She can see the words flashing in front of her eyes like some twisted comedy of errors.

_Ryen Mellark_

_Step brothers. Two of them._

_I feel like a troll banished to the dungeon._

_Middle brother has been here to help out._

_Bake or die, fiend!_

_That’s my brother’s ex wife singing_

“Oh no,” she groans and grabs at her stomach. Madge has already left her to take her place at the piano and Katniss is left with crazed laughter forming in her throat but something else too. Something bright and wonderful and terrifying.

She wrongly crossed Peeta off the list.

“I give you, Twelve’s very own, Katniss Everdeen and Madge Undersee!” she hears the announcement and walks onto the stage, waving to the crowd and trying for a smile. She steps up to the microphone and hears Finnick yelling at her. She laughs at his demand for “Freebird” and turns to Madge, who starts on the opening notes.

 _I know you’re somewhere out there_ _  
_ _Somewhere far away_ _  
_ _I want you back_  
_I want you back_

 _My neighbors think I’m crazy_ _  
_ _But they don’t understand_ _  
_ _You’re all I have_  
_You’re all I have_

Her voice wavers at first but gains strength as she sings, the words warming her through in a way she can’t explain.

 _At night when the stars light up my room_ _  
_ _I sit by myself_

 _Talking to the moon_ _  
_ _Tryna get to you_ _  
_ _In hopes you’re on the other side_ _  
_ _Talking to me too_ _  
_ _Oh am I fool who sits alone_  
_Talking to the moon?_

She loses herself in the melody and finds herself in the lyrics. A new strength as she walks the stage to the beat of the drums as they join in.

 _I’m feeling like I’m famous_ _  
_ _The talk of the town_  
_They say I’ve gone mad_  
_Yeah, I've gone mad_

 _But they don’t know what I know_ _  
_ _‘Cause when the sun goes down_ _  
_ _Someone’s talking back_  
_Yeah, they’re talking back_

 _At night when the stars light up my room_ _  
_ _I sit by myself_

 _Talking to the moon_ _  
_ _Tryna get to you_ _  
_ _In hopes you’re on the other side_ _  
_ _Talking to me too_ _  
_ _Oh am I fool who sits alone_  
_Talking to the moon?_

She peers out over the crowd, a sea of faces and notices the swaying lights over their heads. Pouring her heart into the song and hoping he’s listening and knows. She didn’t want to leave him waiting.

_Do you ever hear me calling?_

Her mother once told Katniss that her voice could be heard in the soul. She hopes that’s true now as she works through the non-lexicals, building to the final chorus.

 _‘Cause every night_ _  
_ _I’m talking to the moon_ _  
_ _Still tryna get to you_ _  
_ _In hopes you’re on the other side_ _  
_ _Talking to me too_ _  
_ _Oh am I fool who sits alone_  
_Talking to the moon?_

 _I know you’re somewhere out there_ _  
_ _Somewhere far away_

The last note hangs in the frigid air for just a second. As she takes a deep breath, the applause nearly deafens her. Loud whistles from the front make her smile and blow kisses to Haymitch and her mother. Effie’s wiping tears from under her eyes as Katniss takes a bow and then practically skips off stage, engulfed almost immediately into a hug from Madge.

“I have to go! I shouldn’t have crossed him off the list!”

“What? Who? Katniss!” Madge shouts after her, but Katniss has already left back stage, pushing her way through the crowd as the final act takes the stage.

She stands on her toes, searching for a blond mop of hair as she heads towards the food vendors. One song ends and another begins. People offering kind words about her performance slow her progress. As she reaches the edge of the crowd, she nearly stumbles, but that’s when she spots him. Walking away, hands in his pockets, a slight hitch in his step.

“Peeta!” she shouts and he freezes. Slowly turns to face her, his face wary as she can’t stop the smile stretching her face wide. “It’s you!”

“Hi, Katniss. That was, um. Quite the performance.”

“Thank you,” she says, heart sinking at how distant he seems. She felt closer to him when they were talking over the internet. Then it hits her why. He thinks she deserted him. “The other night at the party--”

“It’s fine, Katniss. You don’t have to explain.”

“I do! I was coming back. I wanted to ask you, but then I ran into a friend who was too drunk to get herself home safely and…” she trails off and they stare at one another.

“I’m sorry,” she says and he hangs his head. Katniss steps towards him, swallowing and holding out her gloved hand. “My name is Katniss Everdeen. I work as a scientist in a lab, plant disease control. I have a dog named Lady and a sister who just got engaged. I was arrested with the city’s first lady about a week ago for protesting a cut in funding to the local library.” This draws his eyes back up to hers, a half laugh and a smile from his lips, giving her courage to continue. “And if you quote _It’s a Wonderful Life_ to me again, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.”

“One minute!” The words echo across the square, answered with loud cheers.

Then he takes her hand in his, warm and solid and real. “Nice to meet you, Katniss. My name is Peeta Mellark. I’m a baker with a prosthetic leg, a cat named Tuxedo, and a brother who I thought was pranking me when he insisted that the strange woman I kissed at a holiday party but whose name I foolishly neglected to find out, was actually looking for me.”

“You need to rethink your New Year’s resolutions,” she says and he laughs as he releases her hand then glances towards the stage.

“Ten!”

“Can I kiss you?” she asks, taking another step towards him so that their toes touch.

“Eight!”

“Well, it is kind of a tradition,” he says with a shrug that makes her smile and move into his arms as he opens them for her.

“Six!”

His fingers caress her jaw and he pauses with his lips just a breath away from hers. “You’re wearing my hat.”

“Three.”

“It’s my favorite color.”

“One!”

Their lips meet and she melts into the warmth.

“Happy New Year!”


	13. Chapter 13

**January 1st**

“Excuse me...excuse me!” Finnick laughs as Katniss manages to pry her lips from Peeta’s. “Did you two exchange names and proof of insurance before swapping spit?”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny,” Katniss says as Peeta gives him a push away, but she has a wide smile on her face and Peeta's coat lapels still grasped in her hands.

“No kiss and runs tonight, please!” Finnick shouts and then turns back to Annie.

There are still people embracing and wishing each other a Happy New Year all around them, even though the initial euphoria has begun to wear off. Katniss curls herself back up against Peeta’s chest and slides her hand up beneath his coat. She’s a little dizzy from the champagne they drank earlier, content and filled with several of his delicious baked treats, her cheeks and toes chilled but the rest of her impossibly warm. She may have gorged herself on the midnight kiss cookies in honor of the occasion. A year ago, she barely would have allowed herself to hope for a moment like this, but that was before she’d found Peeta.

“Hey, wanna get out of here? If we leave now, we could be in pajamas and in bed before one.” Peeta says quietly and she tilts her head back to smile at him.

“You read my mind.” They slip away while the party is still in full swing. Bits of confetti float through the air still as they hurry down streets away from the square. Katniss unlocks the door as Peeta nuzzles her neck and they fall inside, laughing.

“We’re home!” Peeta calls out and then sighs as the only reaction he gets is a swish of black and white cat tail, and a twitch of gray dog ear. “Don’t everyone get up all at once to greet us.”

Katniss laughs and drags him up the stairs to the bedroom. “You promised me pajamas and snuggling in bed, Mellark.”

“I did, didn’t I?”

It only takes her a few minutes to change, wash off her makeup, and brush her teeth, although she gets distracted making them some lavender and chamomile tea. By the time she makes it into bed, he’s already waiting. Lady and Tuxedo are curled up together in their fluffy pink pet bed that Prim bought them as a present this year.

Katniss yawns as she hands him his mug and slides beneath the covers. They sip quietly for a moment. When she sets aside the tea to scoot closer to Peeta, her hand knocks into something and she picks up a small, red velvet box off the sheets.

“What’s this?” she asks staring into Peeta’s suddenly frightened eyes.

“That’s um, something I wanted to give you at midnight. But then we sort of got distracted.”

She snorts at his assessment of what basically amounted to her tackling him and kissing him before midnight had even struck. She’d just been so happy and he’d looked so handsome and wonderful tonight that she hadn’t wanted to wait. But now her hands are shaking and her heart is beating wildly in her chest.

“Can I open it?” she asks and he takes it from her hands, opening it for her.

“Katniss, will you m--”

“Yes!” she shouts and tackles him again, cutting off the rest of the question with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience and I hope you enjoyed the journey! A special thank you to bookgirl318 for requesting such an inspiring prompt. It was truly a joy to write and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. <3 KDNFB


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